Sugar Momma
by Raven Hallowryn
Summary: Five years after the Equalist War, Korra leads an unusual and criticized lifestyle where her privacy is concerned. One day after a mission is a faraway corner of the URN she trips on two people she didn't expect to ever see again and finds a new whim to pursue.
1. The Find

The whispers followed her, snippets flowed to her ears whenever she passed and happened to catch someone speaking of the rumors that abounded around her reputation and every single time someone noticed she had heard they recoiled in fear but she just smiled that cocky cryptic smile because no matter what they said it was never even close to the truth… No, the truth was even more scandalous, so much that people wouldn't even believe it as a rumor.

Korra was now twenty-two years old, a fully realized Avatar that had achieved more than any Avatar before her, a heroine to the world, and princess in the hearts of the people, a wise woman that nonetheless still jumped recklessly into battle whenever it was required.

But not all was perfect in the Avatar's life, at least not in the eyes of others. Ever since the instability of her first love with Mako, with whom she was still best friends, she had become reckless in matters of the heart- there had been a couple of times she tried to have a conventional romance, she even went out with Bolin, but it never worked out, she wanted all the control in a relationship and she never wanted to give her heart completely and open up to being hurt, plus she just didn't want to put any time or hard work into a relationship that might not last, she'd rather be independent through and through.

And then she found something that not only was entertaining but occupied her idle days.

Apparently being the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe had its perks, she couldn't accept the title of princess, nor could she inherit the throne so to speak because the Avatar had to neutral but in return she got a nice monthly allowance from the Water Tribe government to add to any other income she made which wasn't much seeing as being Avatar was a full time job and not a paid one. Yet that allowance was too much for a single girl to spend _alone_.

Like many other stories it started with a handsome guy in a bar and that was where her money came in handy, it was a little sport's joint where she went to listen to pro-bending and boxing games on the radio or watch old games on film that where projected in grainy sepia on the bar wall. The man was just a few years older and listened to the match right next to her only to groan as it ended when he realized he'd lost a bet, she felt sorry for him and bought him a drink and then another and another until the night actually blurred at some point and they ended up in some dingy inn making out until they passed out and woke up hung-over the next morning.

That relationship lasted only a few weeks and was mostly just the two of them meeting up at the bar where Korra bought the drinks and they chatted about sports before tumbling into bed together. He broke it off, said that as much as he liked what they had she never let him get closer and that meant they could never move forward; she didn't want to move forward, she liked things as they were so she accept the so called break up gracefully and moved on.

The next guy was even older, somewhere in his thirties and he was down on his luck. She had just gotten her own place in the city, paying the rent was easy and took up just a scrap of her allowance so she took him in for a while and let stay in her house so long as he provided enough entertainment and satisfied her need for human intimacy but he ended up leeching off her a bit too much so she dumped him and moved on to the next conquest.

By the third guy she was starting to make a habit out of the romantic lifestyle, she found some interesting man that caught her eye and she kept him around so long as he kept her happy, she let him live with her if needed, she gave him anything he wanted under three conditions- he couldn't distract her from her duties and friends, he shouldn't mind any other conquests and one-nighters she brought home because they were never meant to be exclusive, and he could never ever ask for her heart.

It was easy, they never lasted very long but things usually ended in good terms because nobody ever got close enough to make things too emotional. Well, perhaps one or two had gotten too clingy and demanded more and for those the separation had been harder but they knew what they had gotten into right from the start, she made sure to warn them all from day one.

Korra wasn't picky, so long as the man had something interesting that attracted her she didn't care about age, ethnicity, social status or even marital status and none of her conquests ever invaded her privacy or besmirched her name because in her own way she was kind to them, she might not love them but she was kind, yet that didn't stop the rumors from spreading against the esteemed and well-respected Avatar.

Most of Korra's friends reprimanded her for her promiscuous ways but she was still Korra, she hadn't changed in any other aspect except that new manner of intimate stress release so the criticism was never too serious, especially not when everyone knew why she had become that way and why she chose to spend her excess money on men instead of on herself.

She always said it wasn't Mako's fault, she always claimed the Avatar just didn't have time for complicated love affairs or for romances that would make her vulnerable, she stated that she deserved every little bit of happiness after all the pain and effort she endured for the world but she never knew who was after her for her fame or for her heart so she gladly took whatever came her way but took it with an enormous grain of salt, she always said her life was just too full of pressure and travels so frivolous relationships were her small way of relaxing without getting reckless and dangerous but deep down even Mako himself felt a little responsible from marking her heart and contributing to the situation.

~~~~~~.:oOo:.~~~~~~

It was supposed to be a mission, someone was spiriting away little children in an island in the southernmost part of the United Republic, but to be perfectly honest Korra only went on that trip alone because she wanted some time away from all the staring and whispering, she didn't really care and found the rumors amusing but sometimes it was a bit exhausting to be the constant center of attention and she just wanted some anonymous time to herself.

The island had a warm tropical climate and white sand beaches surrounded a decent sized metropolis but unlike what she had originally assumed it wasn't a tourist area at all; there wasn't much to see, even after small Spirit wilds bloomed around town, and even though the island thrived from travelers it was mostly fishermen or traders making pit-stops. All in all it was a nice remote place but crowded enough that a stranger's presence could go unnoticed and that was just what she was looking for.

Finding the missing children wasn't too hard, she prioritized the mission and there was a rather hasty dangerous fight that left her banged and bruised but soon she realized that the beast she fought was merely being defensive and she quickly discovered that although a Spirit had kidnapped the children, they had not been harmed. In fact most of the missing kids came from abusive or poor homes and the tall, pale and furry Spirit that reminded her of a humanoid tarantula simple believed that it was saving the children and had been spoiling them rotten with motherly care, many of the little boys and girls didn't even want to leave creature and she was forced to reach a compromise between Spirit and the parents for the good of the children.

With the mission wrapped up, Korra decided to stick around for a few weeks both as a little vacation and because she had to make sure the agreement that had been established with the Spirit was upheld. The local governing powers agreed to keep her presence a secret and with a little change in clothing style she managed to blend in and walk around a town anonymously for the first time in years, she only regretted not having Naga with her.

One day, while perusing the local market in the afternoon for souvenirs for her friends, she spotted him. Korra had only seen that handsome face once but the image had been ingrained in her brain ever since so that she recognized him instantly as he walked by in the crowd with a pair of bags in his arms, clueless to the fact that she was watching him.

In a flash the man was gone, he had disappeared in the mass of shoppers and passersby and try as she may she couldn't find him again. It had to be a mistake, an illusion of light or perhaps he was just someone else and her mind was playing tricks on her… But she had to be sure.

For three days she returned to that market and waited all afternoon in a little plaza while sipping on tea, it was hard considering that patience was still not her virtue in the least yet at last she spotted him again at sunset of the third day and this time she wouldn't let him slip between her fingers. Korra tossed some coins on the table to pay for her tea, then she followed him and that's how she found out about the famous club in the docks called the Blue Buccaneer.

The Avatar discovered that the man worked at the club so for the first time in her life she opted for reconnaissance and caution, one could never have too much of that when it came to people with this man's skills.

Upon some enquiring around she found out that the Buccaneer was an interesting place to say the least. It was a ladies' club where women, mostly middle aged and older, would go to be entertained by all manner of gentlemen while spending money on overpriced drinks and from what she could tell there were… Other services that could be provided after hours but those were very hush-hush. Men weren't shunned away as clients either but it still seemed the place catered directly to women.

«Now why would he have run off to this place? Is he desperate enough to work here of all places?» The Avatar wondered to herself, surprised and bemused.

She waited and in the middle of the night when he left the joint she followed, silently and at a distance to ensure that he wouldn't spot or sense her; such a task proved very hard, especially after he left the city towards a hut in the outskirts. The place was depressing and degraded but low key and a perfect hideout since not many were brave enough to wander so close to Spirit turf.

A few more days of spying answered a lot of questions but she didn't understand the situation, it wasn't possible, it just wasn't.

It had been 5 years, 5 whole years with no news, there had been a pair of witnesses who saw Amon escape in a speedboat with Tarrlok after his defeat at the Avatar's hands and later a few people came forth claiming to have seen a similar vessel exploding far east of Yue Bay, the navy had found the charred remnants of the boat, so after a while everyone, including the navy and the police, assumed that the two brothers were dead. Now she saw they weren't.

The man she had seen was Amon, no, Noatak… She had to think of him of Noatak, Amon was a symbol, one that was no more. He still looked the same as she remembered that day she knocked him out a window, a bit darker now that he seemed to get sunlight every day and wearing plain clothes, but still the same- handsome yet bitter looking.

Tarrlok seemed different than what she recalled, he still had pretty much the same appearance but he looked thinner and sickly yet Korra knew it wasn't a physical illness because she had seen it before- it was the sort of mental ailment that destroyed a person from the inside, the decease that affected all those whose bending Amon had taken, even her for a time. She was shocked that he had lasted five years, a lot of people took their own lives after a few months unless Korra got to them first to give them back their bending and those that made peace with themselves and learned to live with it became cold, distant, empty and petty.

The brothers had obviously fled together; they had likely faked the boat explosion and settled in this secluded island for the past several years. How had they made peace with each other and why Noatak desperate enough to work where he now did where things she was eager to know but just couldn't figure out no matter how hard she tried. Why had they given up on their own ambitions so easily?

The Avatar watched for a while longer, it turned out Noatak wasn't the only one working at the Blue Buccaneer, he appeared to be insanely protective, paranoid even, and seemed to want to avoid having Tarrlok there at all costs but when things got too hard the younger brother wouldn't listen and they would both end up working at the club.

At first she was shocked, appalled really, and a part of her knew she should be terrified of the men that had used her and bloodbent her, the men that had caused a war and nearly destroyed the city she now called home but surprisingly enough she felt no such thing, she wasn't scared at all, not after the worse enemies she had faced the horrors she had overcome and especially because, as much as she hated to admit it, she had started to think Amon had been right- his methods and goals were awful but he was right about how unfair the world was with its unbalanced distribution of power and how much it needed guidance and equality, luckily the new government and non-bender president of the United Republic were greatly improving that matter.

So if she wasn't scared, was she angry? Did she want to turn these men in and get revenge? Not really, she was quite apathetic to the matter actually and even felt sorry for their current lifestyle, she discovered she didn't want to go hashing up all that drama all over again, it didn't feel right when the nation was just starting to get back on its feet and many of the equalists had made peace with the authorities.

Then what did she want? What were these men to her now?

«A challenge.» Korra thought to herself one dark night with a smirk gracing her features. «A very interesting challenge.»

~~~~~~.:oOo:.~~~~~~

_(Author's Note: This story was requested by a friend and was originally a mature Amorralok one-shot but grew into a multi-chapter story with Amorralok, Amorra and Korrlok scenes. It's not meant to be fluffy in the least and I don't know if it will have a happy ending or not, I'm still deciding between two scenarios. I expect this to be around 6 chapters but might reach 10 and will be finished quickly._

_Please feel free to review. It's the best motivation.)_


	2. Tiger

Three weeks after she arrived at the island and after some plotting in her hotel room, Korra decided what she was going to do and a mischievous plan formed in her head.

In past couple of years she had become very good at seduction, most people didn't believe that because she still fumbled in social settings and had barely enough patience to gather a shred of charisma for prepared speeches while botching impromptu interviews due to her brash and wild nature and her loud mouth that tended to be faster than her brain and yet when it came to seducing a man she had become competently skilled. She saw it as a hunt, a game of predator and prey, and she had fun with it and not always in the fairest ways.

This was one of those hunts but this time the prey was bigger than anything she had ever faced, bigger but not necessarily hard to catch- she had been watching them and saw how depressing and insipid their existence had become, they had no more goals other than staying together and it was easy to discern how utterly defeated they seemed to feel by the way they just took each day as it came and didn't really care anymore about what had to be done and how much their pride had to be sacrificed to survive.

She gave them nicknames in her head- the younger brother was the snake for his venomous tongue and sneaky slippery ways, the older brother was the tiger for his dangerous imposing form and the fact that his claws and fangs were at the ready to take out anyone in his way at the slightest threat.

The tiger would have to go down first, the snake had had his fangs pulled out years ago and wouldn't be too hard to subdue with the right promises but to get to him she had to first handle the dangerous predator that was the older brother and he was one that wouldn't succumb to her so easily so she'd have to play her hand very carefully and hope that his claws wouldn't try to rip her apart at the first shot… Not that she thought he had any chance of defeating her anyway.

It was a busy night at the club but Korra got there early to ensure she'd be able to have her pick of the assorted hosts; unfortunately her target was nowhere to be seen so, much to her annoyance, she was resigned to having to wait.

She wore typical fire nation clothes that were the complete opposite of her preferred tomboyish style- a maroon tie-on halter top that showed her midriff and a generous amount of cleavage and a skirt split up to her thighs with strappy gold sandals and a translucent crimson veil concealing her hair and part of her face so only her chatoyant sapphire eyes stood out and her identity was a little less obvious; the outfit was revealing and sexy but gave her an exotic air of refinement too and nobody paid much attention to her hidden features both because many women tried to hide their identities in a place with such reputation and because most people were too busy ogling her toned curvaceous body to actually think about noticing her face.

The music hummed all around mixed with laughter and background chatter from the many other patrons and their chosen company, the lighting was dim but pleasant and soft. Korra picked a small booth in the corner and sat with her legs crossed on the black leather couch, ordering an expensive bottle of some sweet alcoholic beverage that came with glasses of crushed ice and politely but curtly refused any company until her goal arrived.

From what she had noticed so far, every employee at the club wore something different each night, embodying a myriad of characters for the amusement of the customers. So far she had seen Amon (Noatak, she reminded herself for the tenth time) wearing two or three different types of clothing including a black and red business suit that she found delectable, a simple but skin-tight sparring outfit and some sort of military uniform that played on more risqué fantasies, she was kind of curious to find out what he'd wear that night because somehow everything just seemed to look good on him in a foreboding sort of way.

She had been calmly sipping at her glass for half an hour when he finally made an appearance. At first she had thought he was just late but she saw him come down the stairs from the 'business' rooms on the floor above accompanied by a tall, pale older man with an odd mustache and cropped hair, the latter was obviously a customer by the way he grinned with such satisfaction and kept coping a feel of the other's backside just before paying the man at the entrance a hefty fee. The sight was somewhat amusing in a slightly malicious sense to the Avatar but it stirred something possessive in her too.

That night Noatak was playing up on his obvious Water Tribe heritage and wearing a reduced version a typical polar outfit worn by hunters, complete with pelts, a squid-shark tooth necklace and bone beads in his now shoulder-length hair. He didn't seem at all embarrassed by the get up but the bitter glare only lifted from his face when he clocked back in to work and spoke to his boss, the bartender, putting on a charming smile that was as much a mask as the one he had worn in the past and waiting to find his next fare for the evening.

Korra signaled the bartender and pointed at Noatak, in a minute the man that had once haunted her teenage nightmares but that was now her prey was bowing to her and taking a seat, asking for the honor of refilling her glass.

The Avatar braced herself for the first exchange of words, wondering if he would recognize her, if not by her appearance then by her voice… He didn't.

He introduced himself as Kinapak, a mysterious but well-chosen name in Korra's opinion, yet she neglected to give her own name at all and was contempt to merely be called 'lady'. Conversation flowed easily, he was charming and could tackle any subject she threw at him as if he genuinely cared about the random topics she brought up, he managed to make her feel important and wanted with his manner of speech and she suspected he could have done so with any woman, even one that didn't have her cocky self-esteem.

Noatak had stated he wasn't fond of her choice of drink, apparently the milky caramel taste of Opal sap liqueur was too sweet for his palate but she saw him draining glass after glass with ease and wondered whether he was just racking up her booze bill for a bigger payday or whether he actually did like the drink and wouldn't admit it… In end she summed it up to the fact that he just couldn't stand doing this job completely sober.

Nonetheless he always looked her in the eye, in fact he seemed quite taken with her eyes despite all the other assets she had on display, not that he had ignored those either way, she noticed.

They danced around the topic of why a pretty young lady would be in place like that, her replies were vague but implied that work had brought her around and she felt lonely in this foreign city; however she did tell him her age, it was a dangerous move but she couldn't resist dropping the hint for the fun of it. He didn't pry too deeply but was nevertheless suspicious so she changed the subject towards why such a handsome, intelligent and strong looking man was working in that establishment, he was even more evasive than her and all she got from the conversation was the insinuation that it was the only place willing to hire him that allowed him to make enough money to care for his sibling. The answer actually touched her a little, mostly because she was pretty sure he wasn't lying for once.

Three hours of alcohol and needless chit-chat later Korra was feeling light-headed and tired of the word games and empty flattery even though she was surprised at own much she enjoyed talking to him, she had been slowly getting closer and closer until he wrapped an arm around her shoulders out of habit and began teasing her with playful remarks just as she had expected.

"Shall we get a room?" She blurted out in a sudden thrill-fueled rush.

"What a bold suggestion, my lady… But such a service is very pricy, are you sure you're up to it?" He replied almost cheekily, the drinks had left him tipsy and a little flushed but apparently his mental faculties were intact and that made her nervous, she had hoped he'd be a bit more inebriated to ensure he really wouldn't realize who she was until she told him but Korra threw caution out the window because she wasn't going to waste all her work that evening over a technicality.

"Darling, I have enough on me to pay for two of you all night long if I wanted." Korra snickered, her hand traveled up his thigh and she saw his brow quirk up.

She read him like an open book. He was intrigued, her attitude caught him off guard, he was the one that should be seducing and instead she had been turning the tables and drawing him in while he tried to discourage her out of polite courtesy. The quirked brow lowered and he glanced appreciatively all over her figure- so he was interested in more than just the money? That was just perfect in her book.

"Well then, I'd be honored to accept the company of such a lovely lady." His deep rusty baritone that had once made her tremble with dread and rage now sent a shiver of excitement down her spine and he offered a hand to whisk her away.

Noatak led her upstairs, the corridors in that floor were filled with muffled sounds pleasure under the distant hum of music which added to the forbidden atmosphere, he opened a particular door for her like a gentlemen and she strode inside like she owned the place.

The room was small and dimly lit but impeccably clean and warm, almost balmy, the walls were papered with earthy shades of faded gold and taupe, the floor was carpeted in plum washed-out fuzz, the windows were foggy and darkly tinted, the bed was wide enough for four people and the sheets looked freshly laundered… Yet the Avatar paid these details no heed and as soon as the door shut behind him and silenced the sounds outside she pulled aside her veil and had him pinned to the wall, kissing him almost violently.

Noatak was taken aback by the reaction, his eyes widened in surprise and his body tensed defensively but as her lips mashed to his and her tongue hastily forced its way into his mouth he ended up relaxing as expected and his arms enfolded her when he surrendered to the kiss. Surrender wasn't the right word though, he was just as passionate as she was and his tongue dueled hers with just as much aggression, their lips felt tingly and bruised from the force they exerted trying to overpower each other, their teeth sometimes clashed and even their noses squashed to one another's face between harsh shallow breaths.

Before either of them knew what happened he had turned the tables and had her pressed to the wall, one of his hands held both of hers up over her head while the other travelled up the curve of her waist and higher to cup a breast over her clothing without ever breaking the harsh kiss, her leg hitched over his hip to draw him closer and she purred low but appreciatively.

Eventually she pulled her hands free from his steely grip but only because she got impatient, in those few seconds before he trapped her hands once more she managed to rip open his shirt and pull it off, she'd pay for it later if she had too but for now if she was going to let herself be restrained then at least she wanted him naked and exposed first.

He growled at her sassiness but it was an amused sound and he went as far as kicking away his boots, tossing off the pelt at his waist and removing his slacks so that he was just wearing a flimsy loincloth before he went back to where they left off.

Noatak was mouthwatering, he wasn't overly built but had perfectly chiseled muscles that were peppered with wiry dark hair and the occasional battle scar, he didn't seem to have an ounce of extra fat anywhere and the rich tone of his skin might still be paler than hers but it was flawless enough that she wanted to lick it.

Korra had never really seen Amon in such light before, she admitted to herself that his strength and level of power had long since fascinated and attracted her in some morbid way but she had never really considered what was under that equalist uniform until it was on full display in front of her and crushing her to a wall so lasciviously. Any little doubts she ever had about this sudden whim of hers to tame this man evaporated from her mind at that very second.

Her hands were trapped again and he slowly began to unravel the veil from around her head as if he were unwrapping a gift and paused for a second once the scrap of sheer fabric fell to the ground, revealing her face in all its young glory and cascading waves of chestnut hair. Korra couldn't tell what was on Noatak's mind as he stared at her face, his expression was unreadable and his pale ice chip eyes gave nothing away though they narrowed ever so slightly, the room was very dim and they were both tipsy but while a side of her wanted him to recognize her, the other dreaded it.

"Beautiful." He murmured, he was still stoic but the word was breathed out in a husky voice that made her smile whether it was true or not.

A few seconds later he was kissing her again, it was just as passionate, heated and aggressive as before, maybe even more so, and she kissed back with devouring eagerness; her hands were still trapped but he undid the knots that kept her top up with expert fingers and the garment fell away like water slipping down her skin to bare her torso to him completely, she had made sure not to wear any chest bindings this time and her generous breasts bounced free in the warm air of the room.

There was some fondling on his part that spurred the kiss into becoming even hungrier between nips and sucks at each other's lips but when they broke apart for air he finally let go of her hands as both of his landed on her chest, palming her heavy mounds while he began to plant passionate bites down her neck and shoulders, by then he had already surmised that she didn't want sweetness or gentle caresses, she wanted this to be rough and intense.

Korra gasped at each bite and tipped her head to the wall to give him better access, his teeth scrapped across her collarbone and his fingers pinched and twisted rapidly hardening nipples until she was squirming and desperate for more. She arched to him and could feel a hard ridge in his loincloth rubbing against her crotch as his mouth moved lower and lower to leave bite marks all over the tops of her breasts before he sucked a nipple into his mouth and tugged at it with his teeth. She was pretty sure she'd have his mouth imprinted on her flesh for days but at the moment all she wanted was more of that addicting fire that his actions ignited just under her skin.

Her hands buried in his hair, tugging at it in a silent request for more and Noatak soon traveled lower, running his hands down to hitch up the skirt, allowing him push her underwear off with ease before he settled on his knees with one of her legs hooked over his shoulder and his hot skilled mouth kissing behind her knee and traveling up her inner thigh in rough little bites that made her flinch and demand more in a breathy voice.

Noatak appeared desperate to please and just as eager and impatient but apparently he also liked to tease so every time she bossed for more he slowed down, languidly running his tongue down the dimple where her thigh met her crotch, he then nuzzled her curls teasingly and nipped lightly at her swollen folds, clearly enjoying the little impatient snarl she let out. At last his tongue slipped between the petals of her sex, slowly savoring the slightly salty moisture that practically oozed from her and tracing the hard little bundle of nerves that made her breath hitch in her throat as sensation shot right through her.

The Avatar's hands lost themselves in his hair again and when he parted her with his fingers and lazily dragged his tongue down the dark slick flesh she moaned low in her throat; that slippery hot tongue invaded her body, igniting tingly sparks of pleasure in her that quickly turned into a steady fire when he started to lap and suck, it was almost sloppy but so precise at the same time that her eyes closed and she bit her lip between little sounds of pleasure.

He was good, it occurred to her that he probably had a lot of practice but what mattered was that he was so good at the task that her mind was going numb and all she could focus on was the way his mouth molded to the most intimate core of her body to suck and lash his tongue against her pearl until she was writhing and right on the edge.

The wave of pleasure crested slowly in her gut and suddenly washed over her so she was crying out incomprehensible pleas and trembling on weak legs while spasms shook her body from the inside out and took her breath away. He didn't stop, he held her by the hips and stubbornly dragged on the pleasure until she found herself writhing on the floor and had to literally pull him up by his hair with trembling hands while trying to steady her breathing.

Noatak stood up with a victorious smirk, licking his lips in a predatory manner as he watched her pant on the ground with dazed eyes, from that angle he looked even more tempting but the arrogant grin made her want to best him so she dragged herself up on shaky legs intent on shoving him to the wall again yet it was clear that she wasn't going to be able to win that way.

In the end Korra sat on the bed with the most imperious attitude she could muster, leaning back on one hand and crossing her legs, fully aware that everything between her thighs was tingly and soaked and that her skirt was still on; she watched him move closer but raised a hand to stop him before he could join her on the bed.

"Take it off." She ordered with a nod at the loincloth, the last piece of clothing that shielded him from her.

For a moment he seemed to consider the command and then obeyed and tossed off the garment revealing that he was just as affected by their little game as she was- the length between his legs was impressive compared to her previous lovers and stood rigidly like an angry exclamation mark and although he didn't seem the least bit ashamed of his nudity she saw his hands fist impatiently at his sides while she stared appreciatively at his full naked glory for the full minute it took her to recover her bearings completely.

With a smile she started to run her hands up his form, allowing them to skate over every dip and edge of his hard muscles but she smacked his away when he tried to reciprocate, she wanted to explore and she wasn't going to allow him to sweep her off her feet again so soon.

The Avatar got up and stood so close that he could feel the heat of her skin on him but her body never quite touched his and her hands traced up his hard abdomen, her fingers ran through the sparse wiry hair on his chest and over his wide shoulders before she finally crushed her body to his, pressing her smooth bare skin to him, grinding her breasts to his chest while her hands drifted down his back and her lips ghosted over his jaw. This time she was the one being slow and teasing as payback.

A thought occurred to her and Korra remembered the man from earlier, the customer she'd seen come down with Noatak, she was surprised to feel a tiny spark of annoyance at the thought but the sentiment that ruled supreme was curiosity, she groped his toned rear wondering if the man in her arms had been a giver or a receiver and a lewd little grin danced on her lips.

So far he had been perfectly still, enduring her touches and closeness without a sound, watching her with half-lidded eyes and a unique sort of curiosity on his face but when her fingers suddenly invaded him from behind she was rewarded with the most delicious flinch from his tall frame and the sudden groan that slipped from his lips was music to his ears.

Korra chuckled and her free hand grasped his jaw, forcing him to look her in the eye as the slender fingers of her other hand slipped deeper into his body and pumped at a lazy pace, searching for that single little spot that would undo him completely. Noatak's face had taken on a distinctive hue of crimson all the way up to his ears but he held her gaze, trying not to glare in face of her mocking little snicker.

"I noticed your last fare before me… I was a little annoyed, I kind of wanted you all to myself tonight." She stated, still teasing him and noticing the way he was unconsciously pressing closer to her and grinding his throbbing erection to her thigh.

"Sorry to disappoint." His words ended with a hiss between clenched teeth when her fingers found some spot inside him that made him shudder. "You should have… gotten here sooner."

"Yes… A lot sooner." The double entendre in her words wasn't lost in either of them. "Well then, I'll just have to make a bigger impression, won't I?"

"I… I assure you that you're doing a much better job at… Making an impression than he ever did." Noatak stammered out, she was still holding his face but he seemed about to fold into her and barely swallowed down little sounds of pleasure.

Korra smiled at the reply, she was enjoying this challenge more than ever and forced his face down just enough so she could kiss him again and savor the spicy taste of his mouth that mingled with her own salty flavor and a leftover sweetness of the alcohol. She considered that she could get addicted to this, dangerously so.

A growled moan vibrated against her lips halfway through the kiss and his arms wrapped around her almost aggressively, his hands groped her backside much like she had done to him but it was clear he was just holding on for some shred of control so she pulled away from him and let go, then she slipped off her skirt in one fluid movement and plopped herself playfully on the bed, leaning back and spreading her legs invitingly, beckoning him to join her with a defiant grin on her face.

There was really no need for words, he practically pounced on her like a like a tiger jumping its prey, a fact that could have made her laugh if she wasn't too busy trapping him between her thighs and gasping loudly when he pressed into her.

Noatak was no longer slow or teasing, he covered her shoulders in ruthless bites and bruising kisses, groaning into them as her overheated wet flesh wrapped around him and her nails dug into his back giving him an edge of pain quite similar to the one he was giving her with his forceful invasion but neither of them complained because it just made everything else all the more intense; she craved this, she reveled in the rough animalistic way he thrust into her, filling her to the limit and pounding wildly until her head tipped back, hair fanning all around her on the white sheets and moaned gasps spilling from her lips with each buck of their bodies.

The bed springs creaked rapidly under them but the noise was drowned by the wet sounds of their bodies smacking together and the melody of moans and grunts that seemed to grow louder and more desperate as the tempo quickened and the minutes ticked by in a blur of intensely pleasurable dream-like moments.

She lost control first, the climax built up fast and furiously this time and exploded in her body like a whiplash; her eyes closed with sparks dancing behind her lids, her nails racked down his back hard enough to leave welts and even break the skin, her legs locked around his waist and her body arched beautifully off the bed while she screamed nothing in particular and her core rippled and clenched around him.

It was too much, he may be a master of self-control in most aspects of life but obviously not in this one yet at the very least he tried to last long enough to drive her even further until she was actively thrashing under his body unable to so much as breathe from the overwhelming sensations and then, at last he withdrew from her body but his strained throbbing length still rubbed to her pearl harshly enough to make her squeak and quiver, his frame tensed and his face buried in her neck as he folded into her with grit teeth and bathed the flat planes of her abdomen in milky seed.

For a long moment time seemed to freeze while they remained in that position shaking slightly, only their breathless heavy panting and the perspiration that glided lazily down their dark bodies seemed to somehow keep track of the time before they finally collapsed side by side on the creaky bed with their limbs tangled together and feeling like jelly and the electrifying sensations slowly fizzing out into a dreamy afterglow.

They were silent for so long that Korra would have thought he was asleep if only his hand wasn't unconsciously tangling in her hair and twirling a lock of it between his fingers. Noatak's eyes were closed but by the expression that was slowly creeping onto his relaxed face she could tell he was thinking, or trying to, through the daze.

"What are you doing here, Avatar Korra?" He sighed out the words at last, sounding almost defeated.

"Hm…" The sound that came from Korra's lips was quizzical and amused. "Seducing you apparently or didn't you notice that, Amon?" She rolled onto his body and watched him open his ice colored eyes to look up at her. "And that was one of the best fucks of my life, by the way."

Noatak hesitated, apparently struggling between the desire to push her arrogant form away and the urge to keep her supple body close to his, he was confused and he was a man that didn't like being confused or out of the loop.

"…Why did you do this? Is it all just a childish thrill to you? A game?" The words were practically an accusation and his eyes narrowed in anger.

"Yes." The Avatar replied with smiling simplicity. "A delicious one though."

He wasn't expecting such a blunt and simplistic answer, it threw him off but his anger gave way to suspicion and caution. Korra knew what he was thinking, normally she wasn't very good at reading people but this time was certain she was right in her assessment- he didn't want to get caught in an even deeper trap than the one he was in and he was wondering whether he could use the current situation in his favor in order to escape before things got dangerous.

What she didn't know is that he also felt completely humiliated that his beautiful old nemesis, the most powerful being he knew, had found him working such a questionable job and living such an existence and, strangely enough, there was an edge of relief reflected in his form, as if he was tired of everything and just didn't care about getting caught anymore.

"I suppose you'll want to turn me in now that you sated your little whim?" Noatak asked bitterly but without aggression.

"No. Don't worry, nobody knows you're here and I don't intend to turn you in at all so long as you behave." She actually pat his head like an owner would do to a new pet and that stung him.

"Then what stops me from merely disposing of you and carrying on with my life?" He spat back with some irritation but no real threat.

"You can't take my bending even if you tried, I already know how to counter it. And you won't kill me." Korra was so sure of herself that her grin had an almost naïve quality to it.

"Don't underestimate my abilities, Avatar." He snapped darkly but made no move to push her off his body.

"I'm not. I know you _could_ bloodbend and kill me, or at the very least _try_ to do so, but I also know you won't." She was more serious now but still perfectly at ease and comfortable pressing so intimately to the enemy's body.

"And why not?" Noatak wondered where all her confidence came from, then again he knew she was right- he had been keeping tabs on her exploits for the past five years and he knew how strong she had become, he never intended to fight her, it would not be wise, he merely wanted to scare her away.

"You're not that man anymore." Korra remarked with ease and traced his lips with the tip of her finger. "And I will make an offer you can't refuse."

"And what offer might that be?" His interest was suddenly peaked.

"Patience, Noatak." She chuckled and tapped his nose. "Be a good boy and wait for it. I'll tell you soon enough."

In truth she wasn't completely sure what she wanted to do with him yet, she had a very tempting idea but for once she wanted to think about the consequences of it more carefully first, she also wanted to test whether or not he would stick around to hear her proposal because if he chose to stay… Well, wouldn't that be interesting?

"I don't trust you." The former equalist leader growled out the words.

"And I don't trust you so we're even." The Avatar kissed his lips cheekily and then finally sat up and stretched lazily, noting with some amusement that he couldn't help but stare at her body and the way her breasts rose and bounced before she finally got up.

Noatak said nothing this time and merely watched with narrowed eyes as she walked to the bathroom, cleaned up the mess on her stomach with one of the towels supplied by the establishment, pulled her hair back and then returned to the room. He was still staring as she slipped on her skirt, top, sandals and the veil around her head, however, when she picked up her panties (a peach colored pair she had bought on a rather tedious shopping spree with Asami) she ended up leaving them on the bedside table with a roll of yuans- it wasn't his payment, it was just a nice fat tip.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you, I'll look forward to an encore soon." The Avatar chuckled as she watched his brow furrow and a conflicted expression crossed his face in sight of the gift.

Korra didn't give him time to reply even though she was certain he wasn't going to say anything anyway, she turned her back and sashayed out of the room, leaving his stunned form behind as she hummed cheerfully and headed down the stairs to pay her fee.

«The tiger is in my net. Now let's lure in the snake, shall we?» The Avatar thought to herself as she practically skipped down the street towards her hotel, tracing the marks on her neck with one hand to enjoy the pleasant sting and smiling triumphantly.

~~~~~~.:oOo:.~~~~~~

_(Author's Note: In case you're wondering the previous customer Noatak had wasn't the lieutenant but I imagine he was a man that looked similar enough to Lieu that he caught Noatak's attention and became a regular client._

_Also, Noatak's fake name, Kinapak, is an Inuit name that means 'mask', hence why Korra found it appropriate and ironic.)_


	3. Snake

Ten days went by before Korra stepped into the Blue Buccaneer again, she had been itching to go back but the right set of circumstances never fell together the way she wanted until that day, it needed to be one of the rare days Tarrlok worked at the club and she needed it to be a time when Noatak was otherwise occupied with some other customer, that last thought irritated her a bit but she was going to remedy it soon anyway so she let it slip her mind.

The Avatar had been watching the brothers carefully, half expecting them to run away that very night she revealed herself but they stayed as if nothing had happened and finally the day came when she the two puzzle pieces fell into place- she waited outside as usual and saw the same mustached man of before come for Noatak just before Tarrlok even arrived. It was time.

Korra waltzed into the establishment as confident as always but nowhere near as discreetly as her first visit, this time she made sure she was noticed and the shimmering turquoise and silver dress with a low sharp cleavage and tight split skirt drew more attention than she could have ever expected, she still wore a veil though, it was cyan gossamer with white embroidery this time but nobody was looking at that when she walked by, swaying her hips and placing an expensive order of some bubbly wine on display.

She didn't really like the get up, it was completely unlike her and somewhat tight and uncomfortable but by now she knew what lured men in and Tarrlok was the sort to be attracted to elegance, unlike Noatak who appeared to prefer power and the exotic.

She was absolutely right.

Tarrlok was sitting in the middle of the lounge wearing a powder blue suit that was similar to what she remembered him wearing as a Councilor but also cheaper, more relaxed and reminiscent of what she recalled seeing the gangsters back in Republic City wearing, however he managed to look charming with that smug smile that had once irritated her so much and he was already entertaining a group of four ladies in their fifties with two other workers when she walked by and took her seat at a lonely table, awaiting her drink.

He wasn't the only one to stare but Tarrlok's eyes were immediately glued on her and she smiled at him, he could not see her lips under the veil but the way she batted her lashes caught his complete attention though he continued to converse with his customers.

The wine arrived and she twirled the glass in her hand rather lazily, refusing the company of one of the younger hosts, truth be told even if she wasn't there with a purpose she had lost interest in young guys in the past couple of years, they were too idealistic and always wanted more, be it in terms of romance or in terms of fame, at least older men were more experienced and less sappy, more to the point to which she appreciated because she now hated wasting time with needless courtship.

After a couple of minutes she became aware that Tarrlok wasn't going to come to her when he already had clients to serve so she swaggered over to his table with her drink in hand and sat on the edge.

"I'm kind of lonely in my little corner. You gals mind sharing this charming gentleman here?" Korra asked the four ladies with her usual cockiness.

"I'm sure there's much more to choose from, dearie." One of the women, a lady with dark eyes and artificially colored auburn hair, gestured at the idle employees without customers, the ladies seemed reluctant to let go of Tarrlok.

"Oh but he's just my type." Korra sulked playfully, she reached into the neckline of her dress and pulled out a roll of yuans, then gestured at two of the youngest hosts in the club. "Tell you what, girls… Why don't I pay for your evening with these four fine gentlemen and in return you allow me the pleasure of this blue-eyed bad boy's company, huh?"

The four older women eyed the two hosts they already had other than Tarrlok and the two handsome young ones Korra had just called in that were likely a third of the women's ages, they soon exchanged delighted grins.

"That sounds like a wonderful deal. We accept." Another of the women, a cheerful-looking jade eyed lady in green accepted in a flash before giving Tarrlok a rather sad look. "Sorry, Kaskae. Maybe next time."

"Next time indeed, my lovelies." Tarrlok rose with a carefree smile and allowed the Avatar drag him away by his scarf until they were back at her table, he was intrigued and being fought for inflated his ego just right.

"Kaskae? What an interesting name." Korra smirked, of course she should have guessed that only this pompous jerk would chose a name that meant 'chief', it was actually endearing.

"Why thank you, pretty lady." His charming arrogant smile was as fake as the pinkish light of the lounge but she liked the way he puffed up with pride nonetheless because it showed a bit of the old Tarrlok rather than the sad empty version she had witnessed as she spied on them for the past weeks. Unfortunately his next question changed the mood a little. "And what might your name be, my dear?"

"You're going to have to earn that information." She teased, leaning closer and lowering the veil just enough to sip on her drink.

"A challenge?" Tarrlok's brow rose in a manner quite similar to his brother and he gulped at his own drink, draining the glass in the most dignified way he could manage. "I always liked a good challenge."

Unlike Noatak's attempts of polite courtesy and charisma to earn her trust through the night, Tarrlok was much bolder- the conversation shifted into lewd innuendo almost at once and he swerved every topic of conversation into something provocative, in minutes he was sitting hip to hip with her and letting his arm drape over her shoulders and half an hour later that arm had slipped around her waist while the other slowly crept up her thigh more and more every time he drained another glass of wine.

Despite the troubles plaguing him it seemed the former councilor hadn't lost his conniving ways.

Like she had done with Noatak she told Tarrlok she was in town for work and just needed to relax, he immediately stated that such a beautiful young woman didn't need to pay for company for he was sure every man in town would bow to her fancies if she just asked. The excessive flattery made her laugh a little and she replied by asking if he'd 'bow to her' himself.

"If you'd have an old geezer like me? Most certainly, my mysterious young beauty." Tarrlok joked with a sly smirk but then he let out a fake sigh. "Oh, if only I did not have to work for a living." The sarcastic lament made things too easy.

"Well then, why don't we kill two birds with one stone?" Korra purred in his ear, now so close that she was almost crawling onto his lap. "You could entertain me and work on something more enjoyable for the rest of the evening…" Her hand slipped into his coat, caressing suggestively down his chest.

"What do you have in mind?" His tone hovered between business and obvious delight, he probably rarely got such young elegant customers.

"Shall we…" She made her fingers walk up his chest to illustrate her words. "…Go upstairs?"

"Do know what that entails?" Tarrlok's smile was almost suspicious now and she could guess why- she was making it too easy.

"I know that I'd like to get _better acquainted_… And I know that I can afford the room fee." With that she tapped the spot on her chest where he already knew she kept a hefty amount of money and if that didn't sway him then the sudden reminder that her generous décolletage was right in front of him did.

Less than ten minutes later he was opening the door of one of the first floor rooms for her, it was further down the corridor than Noatak's but almost identical in décor from all she could tell yet, unlike what she had done with the older brother, she didn't pin him to the wall, instead she sat on the bed and pat the spot beside her with more patience that she thought herself capable of.

Tarrlok wasn't tipsy as she had hoped and oddly enough, despite all the forwardness, he seemed a lot more guarded than Noatak- she hadn't been counting on that, she had hoped he would be a lot easier to seduce because her enmity with him had long since faded and he might want to use her to regain some status but behind the manipulative smile he seemed more cautious than ever and she knew Noatak could very well have told him of her presence in the island so she needed to reel him in carefully.

He tried to kiss her but she made him close his eyes first and only then did she pull the veil away just enough to let their lips meet and mold together, his mouth tasted like wine and breath mints but she liked the combination and proved it by sucking his tongue into her mouth and letting it dance around hers over and over again until the pace became a bit more forceful and her hands roamed into his clothes again, pushing off his coat in one swift move.

Tarrlok's fingers carefully undid the silver sash around her waist and then glided up her back and began unclasp the little hooks that kept her dress together, when the last one was lose she backed away and waved a finger at him and held the falling garment to her body.

"Nope. You first." Korra demanded playfully.

"Of course." He nodded and stood with usual amiable air.

Tarrlok actually teased, his clothes came off very slowly and with flamboyant turns and poses that either made her laugh or made her blush, there was no in-between, but after several minutes of slow stripping he was finally reduced only to a pair of snug navy undershorts.

The Avatar made a twirl motion with her finger, instructing him to turn and let her appreciate the view which he did and she took her time to admire him much like she had done to the other brother, surprised to find that she liked what she saw; back when Tarrlok was still a politician she was too young and to focused on another crush to really look at him lewdly and he had gotten on her nerves so much that she didn't see any of his physical attributes past his fancy wardrobe, exaggerated amounts of cologne and the three hairtails that at the moment were condensed into a single braid but now… Well, now it was a whole different story.

His face might look sharper than the other brother but he wasn't nearly as muscled up as Noatak, however his lean figure was well defined nonetheless, his refined poise was alluring and if only he didn't act so haughty all the time she could find him very handsome, he also wasn't nearly as hairy as Noatak but she actually liked the contrast and his dark skin had an almost smooth quality to it that she found interesting. Both men where different and yet they were very much alike too and the parallels were as appealing as the distinctions.

"Satisfied?" He asked with a conceited grin when he caught her staring at his backside that was slightly plumper than the older brother.

"Very." Korra nodded and stood up, letting her dress spill off her and pool around her feet, revealing lacy white undergarments that she found too girly and scratchy but sexy and appropriate nonetheless.

She could almost laugh at the way he gawked at her athletic and curvy physique, many lovers before had complained or at least implied that she had too much muscle and that girls should be supple and soft but by the way Tarrlok was staring she was sure he did mind her strength and muscle in the least.

"I take it the feeling is mutual?" The Avatar added jokingly.

"Spirits, you are not merely satisfying, you are divine." For once it didn't sound like empty compliments or manipulation, he actually sounded honest and mildly stunned and she adored that.

«You have no idea.» Korra thought, chuckling, then beckoned him closer and he moved to her as if pulled by a leash.

"You always were a suck up…" In a flash she pushed him onto the bed and straddled his hips. "…Tarrlok."

"What?" He froze in place, almost scared and staring at her as she trapped him and pulled off the veil impatiently tossing it to the bed, she figured she wasn't going to be able to keep up the illusion with him anyway. Her hair flew and fell around her face in wild waves, framing her smiling expression as his eyes grew wide with shock. "…Korra?"

"Hi." She waved mischievously but when he tried to push her off she trapped his hands on either side of his head with all her strength which was probably enough to wrap his wrists in finger-shaped bruises. "Nuh-uh, you're not going anywhere."

"What are you doing here?" Tarrlok seemed genuinely frightened and she wondered why, she didn't remember doing anything to him that would warrant this reaction but assumed he was scared she had come to take revenge for his bloodbending. However, it was his question that caught her attention.

"He didn't tell you, did he?" The Avatar tilted her head like a curious kitten. "Your brother didn't tell you I was around."

"You… You spoke to Noatak?!" He looked flabbergasted, she had no idea but he had just realized why the older brother didn't want him to leave the house lately.

"Spoke? Pfftt… That's one way of putting it." Korra chortled.

"I beg your pardon?" Tarrlok frowned, both confused and nervous.

"I paid for his services just as I'm paying for yours." She leaned closer and licked across his cheek to highlight her words. "I wonder if you can live up to his act."

The former councilor stared at her and she could see the emotions racing through his face- surprise, disgust, shock, fear but most of all confusion. He opened his mouth to speak rather angrily and closed it when he found no words and then, after a while he finally just said- "…I don't understand."

"What don't you get, Tarrlok? I slept with him exactly how I plan to sleep with you. What's so complicated?" Korra looked unaffected, she was enjoying toying with him but what she liked more was that he had given up on pushing her away.

"But why?!" Tarrlok shot at her, disbelief coloring his words. "He was Amon! You hated him with every fiber of your being, he took your bending, he bloodbent you! I bloodbent you!" At that last argument he stammered and his expression twisted bitterly with what she thought might be some type of regret. "Is paying for sex with us your way of getting revenge? Of humiliating us? If so you chose a very poor method of vengeance."

"Will you shut up for a minute?!" The Avatar smacked her hand to his lips, she was getting impatient now, his rambling got on her nerves though mostly because she had been asking herself the same things for a while and hadn't come up with a credible answer yet. "I'm not here for revenge, I couldn't care less about the past."

"Then why are you here? How did you find us?" He asked once her hand left his mouth, cold eyes narrowing nervously.

"I'm here because I want to and because I have plans for the both of you." Korra practically cooed out the answer and ran her fingers through his hair. "As for how I found you, it was an accident. Call it fate if you want."

"Plans?" Tarrlok didn't seem averse to her touch but he didn't allow himself to enjoy it either.

"Uh uh, like I told your dear brother I have an offer neither of you can refuse." She chuckled and nuzzled her nose to his almost playfully.

"What offer?" He rose a brow, both surprised that she was still acting affectionate and curious about her plans.

"That depends on how good you are at keeping me happy." Korra snickered and her hands ran up his torso in the most suggestive manner.

"So in the end I'm just a whore to you?" Tarrlok looked her in the eye, his tone bitter and disappointed.

"I wouldn't say that." Korra thought for a moment. She didn't like that he'd feel like that, she didn't know why she didn't like it since originally that was exactly what she had in mind but it just left a sour taste on her tongue; still, she wasn't going to assuage his fears that easily, she needed to remain in control. "But if that's how you'd rather keep things then I could pay up and leave right now."

The Avatar shifted, about to get off him and leave, she saw the turmoil in his eyes and before she could really get off the bed he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him but averted his gaze.

"…What else do you have in mind?" The former councilor muttered, defeated.

"How would you like to come back to Republic City with me?" She had a cat-that-got-the-cream sort of grin plastered on her face and stretched out over him at once.

"Is that a trick question? We'd rather not go to jail, thank you very much." Or worse since bloodbending still earned capital punishment, but he didn't need to say that part out loud, they both knew it.

"You wouldn't go to jail. I'm the Avatar and I've done enough for this world to gain some influence, plus the nation has a whole new government and you are both harmless these days, I could pull enough strings to keep under my jurisdiction and free as birds." Korra stated with ease even though 'free as birds' only applied if they stayed in her little cage.

"And what will this cost us?" Tarrlok's diplomatic tone warred with his distrustful attitude.

"My happiness." She announced with a peck to his lips. "Live with me, keep me content and follow my rules. That's all it takes."

"Become the young Avatar's slaves?" He retorted flatly.

"Slaves? Not at all, that would be too boring." Korra meant that, what use did she have for mindless slaves that wouldn't pose any challenge? No, she preferred strong-willed companions. "Don't consider me a master, consider me… A sugar mama, I guess."

"That is the most barbaric thing I've ever heard you say and I've heard you say a lot of idiotic things." Tarrlok snapped in mild disgust yet she could see that it was a farce- he was tempted.

"Don't be stubborn, Tarrlok. What else do you have to live for? Are you really content spending the rest of your lives hiding in some rickety old shack in the middle of nowhere and whoring yourselves to any paying pervert every night?" The Avatar's tone was suddenly harsh, almost cruel but then it softened into something sugary and enticing. "I may not live in a mansion like you used to but I have a nice big house in the waterfront, you could have a dignified life again and in time, maybe…" She pressed closer and whispered seductively in his ear- "You might even get back your bending, if you earn it."

He tensed under her, froze completely with his eyes wide and a sudden shot of adrenaline spiking in his system, moments later he struggled to hide the hope and surprise and gave her an angry glare.

"…You're lying." The former councilor accused hesitantly.

"Why would I lie?"

"Why would a woman like you- powerful, beautiful, famous and young- want two former enemies twice her age?" He rationalized, shaking his head and refusing to get his hopes up. "And why would you ever consider giving a bloodbender his skills back? It's insane."

"Haven't you heard? I have my crazy moments too." Korra laughed and kissed down his neck, highlighting the words with her actions. She wasn't afraid of their bloodbending anymore, not when she had the Avatar State, and if they went out of line she could always block their bending herself.

"Obviously, or you wouldn't have slept with my brother!" Tarrlok responded defensively but shivered at her playful little kisses.

"Jealous much?" She mocked and her teeth scraped over the shell of his ear.

"I… I'm not… Why would I…? I'm not jealous! You are just… just being irrational!" He stammered, clearly flustered and having a hard time hiding it.

The Avatar sighed quite falsely and looked at him for a moment with her head cocked to the side and her eyes boring into his. She had no intention of backing away no matter how hard he tried to discourage her and the main reason why was because as much as he tried to act proudly, his body betrayed him and told her that he didn't want her to stop- his pupils dilated and he looked almost pleading, his muscles tensed, his hands didn't really try to push her off in the least, he licked his lips anxiously and shifted his hips under her weight almost unperceptively.

"Seems like I have to persuade you to change your mind." Korra swooped down for a kiss, mashing her lips passionately to his in the most devouring way while she snapped up the abandoned veil and in quick deft moves tied up his hands over his head.

"What are you doing?!" Tarrlok broke the kiss in surprise and near panic, tugging at the makeshift binds and finding them too solid to break free but pliable enough not to hurt.

"Sush! I'm paying for this, remember? I can do whatever I want to you so shut up and enjoy it." The Avatar admonished lightly and sat up again, pulling off her white bra and then dropping it so it fell like snow onto the bed.

The way Tarrlok stopped talking at once and his eyes practically bugged out to stare at the fallen garment was a better reaction than she could have hoped for and when his gaze couldn't avoid climbing up her body enraptured by the view, Korra felt a victorious buzz filling her even more deliciously than the alcohol they drank that night.

"If you think sex can…" He started to weakly object.

"I said…" The Avatar interrupted and used the discarded bra to gag him. "Shut up."

Tarrlok glared in retort, his annoyed protests muffled by the lacy fabric in his mouth, but when she lasciviously pressed her body to his and began sliding down and peppering his chest with kisses and little suckles to his nipples the sounds got stuck in his throat and he stared at her with a suspicious frown.

"Don't pretend you don't like it." Korra giggled, it was a strangely girly sound that made his insides backflip. "I can be very…persuasive, Tarrlok."

As if to prove a point her fingers snagged into his underwear and slipped the last piece of clothing off while her warm smooth body kept crushing to his and crawling its way down his dark skin like a snake climbing up the branch of some forbidden tree. Tarrlok spoke into the improvised gag again and squirmed underneath her in protest, trying to stir some sense in her and failing miserably until suddenly his already hardened length was sandwiched in her generous silken breasts- at that point his eyes rolled back and the sounds of objection turned into a stifled groan.

"You like this, don't you?" The Avatar grinned and used her hands to roll the heavy supple mounds around his sensitive flesh, inciting another loud groan even though he tried to look away and shook his head reluctantly. "Politicians are always such big liars, aren't they? Let's make you a little more honest, shall we?"

The heat from her skin was almost unnatural, in fact he thought she might be using some vague form of firebending but any desire to muse further was ripped from his brain when her tongue darted across the tip of his shaft, licking around the exposed bit of flesh that poked out from the constricting embrace of her breasts and blowing a cooling gust of air onto it that contrasted immensely with the heat.

Tarrlok shivered and the sounds that spilled into the gag now held no shred of protest and were instead pleas laced with a needy sort of intensity that encouraged Korra to go even further. She enjoyed this, she loved being in control and even better she loved making him snap and lose his composure so easily from just the slightest bit of teasing from her part.

Her tongue slipped around his hardened flesh playfully, flicking every little ridge in the most provocative manner while still hugging his sensitive length snuggly between her mounds, finding an excruciatingly slow rhythm of movement and soft sucking caresses designed to put him right on edge but never truly allow release.

After a while the former councilor was writhing in his binds and begging into the makeshift gag until she had to pin him down by the hips, grinning mischievously and breaking contact which made Tarrlok whimper at the loss of sensation and the cool air on his painfully stiff erection that already leaked little droplets of fluid at the tip; the whimpers of protest ended when she straddled him again, smiling and licking her lips, grinding her crotch to his with only the damp white fabric of the lace panties serving as barrier between them.

"A lot more truthful now, aren't you?" Korra snickered and tugged her bra out of his mouth, watching him swallow rapid intakes of air.

"Please, Korra…" Tarrlok begged, unsure of what he was begging for.

"Please?" She hummed the word, delighted by the frantic way it had sounded in his lips. "Well, if you're so desperate, I guess that means you want me, right?"

"I…" He hesitated, apparently fighting against what he wanted with some misguided sense of righteousness that she really couldn't understand, not from this corrupt man of all people.

"Just one word, Tarrlok." She pressed closer to kiss him softly and tenderly on the lips, grinding her heated sex more closely to his. "Just be honest. You want me right now, don't you?"

"…Yes." The answer came in a husky murmur before he even thought it through and Korra's reply was only to kiss him again, harder, hungrier, deeper, sucking at his lips and letting their tongues tangle together.

He hissed softly into the kiss when her hips lifted, cutting short the contact between them, but the hiss was quickly replaced by a shuddered groan when she pushed the flimsy bit of fabric between them aside and slid down onto him, moaning into his lips as her slippery heated core sucked in his hard throbbing shaft in one torturously long stroke.

Korra broke the kiss and sat up, the motion pushed him even further into her body until her core was stretched to the limit to accommodate him and she moaned low in her throat, grinding her hips down and savoring the full sensation and delicious friction.

Tarrlok was breathless and he watched her with awe, taking in the lovely flush of her skin, the tumble of dark locks of hair framing her seductive face like a halo, the way her breasts rose softly with every breath, her flat toned abdomen, the sight of her strong thighs trapping him and the lovely patch of curls between them and even the glistening and almost plum colored interior of her sex.

He looked almost pained from how intense the sensations were and yet they wasn't nearly enough; without really thinking about it, the former councilor rose his hips and Korra bucked slightly in response, letting out a gasped moan of surprise and delight.

"Eager, aren't you?" The Avatar chuckled and bent down to steal another kiss.

Tarrlok kissed her back hungrily but he never managed to reply because she started moving, undulating to him like waves crashing onto shore, riding him slowly but with hard demanding movements that blurred all rational thought from his mind.

She would keep dragging him into burning kisses, devouring kisses meant to possess and leave a lover breathless and dazed, but the tempo quickly picked up and she had to brace herself on his hard abdomen to keep up the harsh pace. A fine sheen of perspiration coated their bodies, it almost made her glow with her damn hair plastered to her skin and the way she kept moaning out incomprehensible things in her high smoky voice was unforgettable, not to mention that the sight of how she rode him so rhythmically, causing her hair to fly and her breasts to bounce was completely hypnotic.

"Korra…" Tarrlok growled her name gruffly and commanding. "Release my hands."

Korra probably wanted to object, perhaps tease him and make him beg but by then she wasn't thinking too clearly either and actually pulled the edges of the veil until his arms fell free though slightly numb from the bindings.

He rolled his wrists and flexed his fingers for a moment and then grabbed her by the hips and started to pound up into her, feeling all the warm fluids that dripped from her core and made it so very easy from him to slide into that willing body over and over at a mind-numbing pace with only the wet sounds of flesh slapping together and the mingled grunts and moans filling the air.

Tilting her body back, Korra's hands landed on his legs for purchase, allowing him a deeper exploration and finding a new angle that literally made the Avatar scream with each thrust and sparks of flame seemed to bloom in her breath. She begged for more, already on the razor edge of pleasure and about to lose her mind to the sensations, she just needed a little more.

One of Tarrlok's hands hovered over the place they were connected that was so openly displayed, he didn't think he could last much longer but refused to slow his pace, she had to fall first; his thumb pressed the swollen little pearl between her folds and rubbed in rapid circles. He couldn't help but smirk at the way she shrieked and half-lidded aqua eyes popped out at the sudden electrical rush of pleasure that shot through her body.

She couldn't take it anymore, without realizing it she kept calling his name over and over until her voice failed altogether into little sharp moans and her nails sunk into his thighs while she breathlessly arched her back, trembling and overwhelmed by the sudden tidal wave of pleasure that crashed onto her, her inner muscles clenching and convulsing around him just as the rest of her did when he wouldn't stop and the high grew too intense.

Despite how vocal and loud he was through the whole process, Tarrlok grit his teeth and let the climax wash over him with only a restrained grunt because he was too focused on listening to every lovely noise she made as he clung to her so tightly that his fingers were sure to be bruised into her flawless skin for days, he didn't even care that he couldn't pull out and spilled himself into her willing body without a second thought, she was the Avatar after all, such a chance was an honor that shouldn't be wasted.

Eventually Korra collapsed on him, panting heavily, feeling boneless and sated and enjoying the rapid thrum of his heartbeat under her ear as she pillowed her head on his chest. Tarrlok tensed for a second, unsure of what to do, but then wrapped his arms around her and allowed himself to simply indulge in the moment.

"I must say…" She began in a croaky voice. "For a former politician you aren't nearly as stale in bed as I expected."

"Hmph." He huffed a little offended and sarcastic. "Glad to surpass your expectations."

"That you did." Korra chuckled and shifted a little to press a kiss on his cheek. "Heh, you and your brother are quite different in this department, that part was unexpected."

"Oh? And whom do you prefer?" Tarrlok glanced at her with interest, his competitive side rising with curiosity.

"I'm not picking favorites." The Avatar snickered, not wanting to get into that argument, plus she liked them equally- Tarrlok was more of the romantic adulating kind, Noatak was rough, primal and absolutely intense, in a way they complemented each other well. "You're both different but equally talented, I'd love to see you… working as a team."

"Not going to happen. Some siblings aren't good at sharing toys." He made an almost disgusted face at the mere thought of having the same woman as his brother at the same time.

"Then I guess I'll have to teach you how to share, sugar momma style." Korra laughed at her own joke and sat up on the bed, stretching lazily.

"You're still going on with that?" Tarrlok shook his head in tired false disdain.

"Still acting like you don't want it?" She smirked knowingly and strut cheerfully to the bathroom to clean up and fix her hair.

"…It wouldn't work." He objected, surprised by how dejected and sad he felt just by watching her get ready to leave much like any other customer. He chalked it up as his subconscious wanting to hang on to any little bit of his past life.

"Tell you what…" Korra spoke after a minute of thoughtful silence, prancing back into the room and slipping into her dress absentminded. "My ship leaves in two days- west dock, pier eight, it's the afternoon transit ship to Republic City. You and your brother have until then to decide what you want, if you don't show up I'll be out of your lives for good."

With that she slipped on her shoes and retrieved the veil that she wrapped around her head once more, she then dropped the same large tip that she had left for Noatak on the bedside table along with a souvenir- her discarded bra this time, though mostly because it was no longer in any condition to be worn.

The former councilor didn't say a word and merely sat up as he observed her, paying only half a mind to the yuans because he was too busy staring at the women herself; unlike the older brother he had no qualms accepting the money, but like Noatak he was also still suspicious about Korra's sudden interest in them.

"…Goodbye, Avatar Korra." He murmured after she kissed his cheek and sauntered to the door, he was trying to dismiss her without giving away his thoughts.

"See you in two days, Tarrlok." Korra winked and left the room with a little skip to her step that made her look like a cheery teenager all over again.

She wasn't really going to give them a choice, if they didn't come to her in two days she'd return to chase them down and wear them out until the reconsidered her offer but she was so certain that they would come that she hardly though it was necessary to pressure them any further. Nonetheless, she wasn't going to let them out of her sight just yet, not when she was sure a very entertaining discussion was about to arise between the two men.


	4. Choices

Cicada-crickets buzzed nearby, creating a summery melody along with the swooshing of waves crashing against tide breakers, the stars twinkled though just barely under the light pollution of the small city yet it was more than one ever got to see in Republic City where the artificial lighting always made the night sky look pitch black, the air was balmy and warm even in the latest hours of the night and the smell of factory and satomobile smoke was pleasantly muffled by the scent of sea salt.

All in all it was a nice night but Korra couldn't care less, she had pulled off the pretty yet uncomfortably tight dress as soon as she could, stuffed it in the backpack she had hidden in an alley and slipped on her usual tomboyish clothes, then she had hopped onto a nearby rooftop, hiding behind a chimney and looking down on the club while she waited.

It didn't take nearly as long as she expected- Tarrlok came outside only an hour or so after her, he leaned against the wall by the back door, tapping his foot impatiently with his head down until sometime later Noatak came out as well, surprised when his younger brother grabbed him by the forearm and dragged him away in rapid snippy strides.

Korra followed them, using her airbending skills to go undetected and to listen in on whatever they said; she didn't dare come too close, for all she knew Noatak could spot her heartbeat and drag her up to them like he had done years ago if she came within range so she only moved as close as she judged safe, luckily she had discovered a few years ago that some careful airbending could carry sound further than most believed possible and that was precisely what she used to eavesdrop. It was at such moments that she thanked the Spirits that she managed to master airbending and she wondered how she had gotten by so long without it.

"…What's wrong with you tonight?" Noatak's muttered voice fluttered to her ears in a delicate breeze and she watched the older man snag his arm away from the other's grasp as they walked hurriedly down a deserted backstreet.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me?" Tarrlok hissed back angrily, pulling the other once again though this time by the rumpled parchment-colored shirt.

"You'll have to be more specific, little brother." The other replied a little tersely, unfazed by the anger.

"Why didn't you tell me Korra was in town?!" The younger brother raised his voice but then glanced around as if he regretted the noise just before storming off again.

Noatak was taken aback, he hesitated for a second and then followed hastily and with concern. "You saw her?"

"Saw her?" Tarrlok retorted with sarcasm dripping off every word. "She was my customer tonight."

"I see." The other followed in silence for a few moments, allowing the information to sink in, and then sighed. "I told you to stay home, Tarrlok. Why couldn't you just listen?"

"What for? So you could have her all to yourself?" The former councilor accused just as they reached the outskirts and opted for the beaten path that lead into wild open terrain and abandoned rice fields.

Fog had started settling in in those late hours, particularly on the flooded rice fields, Korra had to hunch behind every rock and walk in the lower levels of the deserted outcrop to avoid detection but she thanked her lucky stars that she could waterbend and use the fog for better camouflage.

"Don't be foolish." The former revolutionist tried to dismiss the thought.

"When did plan on telling me? Or were you just going to accept her offer and abandon me all over again?" Tarrlok was seething now, his hands balled into fists at his sides and his teeth clenched involuntarily, he stopped walking and faced the other.

"I don't even know what her offer is!" Noatak snapped back in mingled distress and defensiveness. "I'm never abandoning you again, why can't you just let the past go?"

"Because I know you, _brother_." The title came out emphasized with prickly derision. "As soon as you lose control of a situation you run away, that's just how you are. That's why you abandoned me in that blizzard decades ago with only our furious abusive father for company and that's why you left your whole movement behind as soon as it started unraveling and slipping from your grasp."

"For the hundredth time- I asked you to come with me, you said no!" The older brother argued, rubbing his temple tiredly at the thirty-year-old subject just as they turned to sidestep some old ruins. Though all things considered he didn't look offended, more like guilty, and he didn't try to deny the accusations so perhaps he thought that Tarrlok was right about him.

"I was twelve! You were asking me to leave the only life I knew, to abandon mom and just run off into danger. Of course I said no!" Tarrlok shouted, almost pulling at his hair with frustration before he trudged away once more, heading towards an old rickety hut that leaned precariously against the stony hillside that sheltered the deserted plantation.

"It was your choice, Tarrlok. And I thought I was helping you by staying away." Noatak defended just as loudly, following close behind.

"Well, you didn't. You should have forced me to go with you." With that the former councilor walked into the shack and slammed the door but the locks were so degraded that rather than closing it banged against the frame and flung open again.

"Excuse me?" The other called out in disbelief, following him inside and shutting the door more carefully.

Korra had to earthbend this time- she conjured a piece of flat jutting rock from the hillside and perched on it, using her airbending skills to carry the sound of their voices up to her. The discussion had been much deeper and more intense than she expected, the Avatar had intended to stir an argument but she never actually wanted them to drag up painful memories and fight, it made her feel a little remorseful and more than a little curious, but as a matter of fact she was morbidly fascinated by the new information.

"I. Was. Twelve!" Tarrlok shouted, emphasizing every word with fury; something appeared to get kicked aside with a loud crash. "You knew father loved mom, no matter what he did to us, he would never let any harm come to her, you knew she'd be alright so you should have just dragged me with you rather than putting that decision in the hands of a child! Sure, I would have hated you for a while but just _maybe_ we could have had a better life, maybe we wouldn't have turned into villains, maybe we wouldn't have fallen apart and turned into exactly what father wanted… Hell, even if all that happened anyway at least we would have been together and without regrets!"

The shouted rant was so filled with rage, resentment and utter pain that it made Korra feel uncomfortable, she wondered if Tarrlok had been bottling this up for years and whether or not it was a good thing that her presence had set him off. From the long hesitant silence the sensed in the older brother, she figured he must be thinking along the same lines.

"…Why is all this being brought up now of all times?" Noatak's voice had turned as stoic as she remembered from the Amon days but there was a note of regret in it that was impossible to hide.

"Because there are things I just need to say before you walk out on me again." The younger brother replied with spite and obvious anguish.

"I'm not leaving you." The former revolutionist stated with utmost resolve. "Tarrlok, I honestly don't know what the Avatar wants of us. She never told me."

"You slept with her." It was practically an accusation.

"A client like any other." Noatak tried to dismiss the matter as if it was of no importance.

"You slept with her and lied to me about it. How am I supposed to trust you?" Tarrlok snarled.

"I didn't lie. I just preferred not to talk about it until I knew what she was playing at and whether or not it would be dangerous to us." The older brother explained as diplomatically as possible.

"Right." Considering the sarcasm, clearly the other didn't believe him.

"What did she tell you? What did she offer?" Noatak enquired, something is tone felt off and held a brew of distrust and anticipation.

"She asked us to return to Republic City with her."

"Why?" The older brother seemed surprised.

"Apparently as her little trophies." Tarrlok retorted, he tried to sound bitter though it came out as resignation instead. "She offered to provide for us if we accepted to be her live-in lovers."

"We can't. As soon as we come within a hundred yards of the capital we'll be arrested on sight." Noatak rationalized.

"Korra promised to handle that too, she made some convincing arguments about how she could ensure our freedom under her jurisdiction." The former councilor sounded calmer now and strangely stubborn.

"Wait…" Noatak wavered for a moment, filling the air with thick syrupy tension. "You aren't actually considering this foolishness, are you?"

"Why not? Afraid to be the one left behind for a change?" Tarrlok actually sneered.

"She's half our age and completely impetuous, she wants us only to prove she can have us. Are you willing to be that presumptuous girl's little pet?" The older brother snapped, completely shocked out of his mind.

"How's that any worse that whoring out every night just to make enough money for food, booze and bribes?!" The ex-councilman argued obstinately.

Noatak hesitated again, this time because he knew his brother was right but he was too cautious to give in so easily. "…It's too dangerous. It could be a trap."

"I'm tired of running, I want a real life again. I can take that risk." There was note of desperation in Tarrlok's voice.

"Well, I can't." The older brother's tone turned steely.

"Fine. Be a coward and stay here, I'm going." Tarrlok snapped mulishly.

"I didn't mean I can't take the risk myself, I mean I can't afford to have you taking that risk, little brother." Noatak replied just as pigheadedly and with an impressive level protectiveness.

"It's my life, don't think you can order me around just because you're older and stronger. We aren't children anymore, Noatak." The other argued acerbically.

"Maybe if you weren't in such a hurry to destroy yourself in past few years, I wouldn't have to look after you as if you were a child." The former equalist shot back.

"And whose fault is it that I've gotten to this point? Whose fault is it that I have this hole inside me breaking me apart to the point that just staying alive is practically too exhausting and depressing to endure?" Tarrlok accused so maliciously that the Avatar flinched in her perch, knowing full well he was talking about the loss of his bending and the wound it left in his soul, she wondered just what Noatak had had to do just to keep Tarrlok alive for the past five years

"…How many times do I have to apologize before you stop reminding me of my errors?" Noatak sounded hurt but tried to shield it with irritation.

"Apologies don't fix anything." The former politician stated somberly.

"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?" The other snapped.

"I thought you were the man with all the answers, Amon." Tarrlok sneered.

"You aren't the only one suffering, Tarrlok! I lost everything. EVERYTHING! When I left you I left the only people I ever loved behind, and after the revolution I lost my friends, my followers, my movement, my values, my beliefs, my power, my life's work, I even lost trust in myself! I have nothing in this world other than a skill that is more curse than gift and _you_, I couldn't care less about the former but I'm not losing the latter again no matter what." Noatak stated with more emotion than Korra ever thought possible from the cold manipulative man behind the mask.

"Poor you." The younger brother mocked derisively but he was obviously out of words to reply to that and his anger had visibly wilted.

"What do you want from me? What should I do? Tell me, Tarrlok!" The other demanded, half-desperate.

"If you're so intent of staying with me then you'll have to follow me to Republic City because I'm accepting Korra's offer. I don't even care if it's a trap, I just…" Tarrlok trailed off, Korra was pretty sure he shrugged.

"Just what?" Noatak asked, all command and iciness once more.

"You wouldn't understand." The other's voice was barely a whisper this time.

"I know you have feelings for her but this is stupid even for your standards." There was a heavy muffled sound, as if the older brother had just plopped himself down on a dusty seat.

"What? I do NOT have feelings for a child like the Av…" Tarrlok began to object but his words were cut short.

"Yes. Yes, you do." Noatak interrupted sharply. "I saw it all five years ago and I can see it rekindling now. What you did… That's not how you woo somebody to take a job with you, no matter how important the task force was for your status, that was all you trying to gain her trust and affection. And in all the wrong ways if I might add, she was a wild teenager, not some socialite from your little circle." He paused, likely to shake his head condescendingly, and then continued- "And the kidnapping? An act of desperation and I'm sure it wasn't just about self-preservation."

"Well then, right back at you." Tarrlok jabbed, unable to counter the accusations.

"How so?" The older brother enquired cautiously.

"Saving her for last? Ah! As soon as you met her face to face for the first time she disarmed you and you backtracked your plans. I saw how you let her slip between your fingers over and over for no reason other than testing her and not wanting to harm her! And when you lost against her and she unmasked you? It would have been so easy to just get revenge and destroy her then and there, all she had was untrained airbending, you could have easily bloodbent her again or killed her but instead you just surrendered and left." The former politician replied with a snarky triumphant voice.

"Perhaps I'm just not the sort of monster you tried to paint me out to be during the revolution. That doesn't mean I ever felt anything for her other than scorn." Noatak stated, attempting to sound neutral.

"Bullshit. You've admired the Avatar from the second father said it was the strongest being alive and you became enthralled with her the moment she challenged you face to face." Tarrlok stood his ground.

"Your little assumptions are groundless." The other spat back, now a little frustrated.

"So are yours but that doesn't make them any less true." The younger brother practically mocked. "Face it, we are both attracted to power and she has it in abundance, not to mention beauty, personality and spirit too."

"Stop trying to justify accepting her insane proposal!"

There were scuffling sounds and a mess of noises jumbled together for a few seconds- furniture being dragged across splintering wooden floors, cloth being pulled roughly, something clattering, two people breathing harshly.

Korra didn't know what was going on but she hoped they weren't fighting, she liked the idea of being fought over but not in this scenario. Actually, she was starting to feel like she had dug her own grave in quicksand and was sinking slowly into it- she had never expected either man to have real feelings for her, not in the sense they had just been arguing about; if she had known that there was even the smallest spark of romantic intent in them she might not have chased after the brothers in the first place, after all the last thing she needed was for these two former enemies to fall in love with her, right?

Then again… Why not? So long as they understood her rules and respected them, why couldn't she let them fall for her? That would actually make them stay by her side willingly, wouldn't it? It would ensure that they wouldn't want to harm her even if they thought they could use her to benefit themselves, right? They knew what they were getting themselves into from the start so who cares if she broke their hearts by not reciprocating their feelings? It would be their own fault.

The idea was appealing, knowing they could be attracted to her for more than just her body, fame or money was flattering, learning that they could willingly want to be loyal was nearly addicting a thought. Nonetheless, the whole thing still felt like she was waddling into dangerous terrain, letting them get too close and too emotionally invested could lead to either or both of them wanting more and in her experience that never worked out for the best… Still, wasn't she an adventurer? Why not take the risk?

"Are you going to deny you enjoyed sleeping with her?" Tarrlok's voice suddenly broke the Avatar from her musings. "Are you going to pretend you weren't completely taken by the fact that she actually chose to have sex with you after what you did to her in the past?"

"That has nothing to do with the matter!" Noatak responded defensively.

"I beg to differ, it has everything to do with the matter." The younger brother shot back and there were more shuffling sounds, like someone getting shoved away. "She gave us two days to decide. I've made up my mind, now it's your turn."

Noatak muttered darkly but his tone was so low that Korra couldn't pick up the words, she only heard the bark of mocking laughter that Tarrlok let out in reply before a wet sloshing noise and the clink of glass filled the heavy silence. A minute later Noatak left the house, shoulders hunched, hands in his pockets and stomping away irately as he headed back to town.

Apparently the argument was over for the night and neither brother appeared to want to be close to the other for the night, Korra figured it was time she left too- the seeds were planted, now she just had to wait those two days to see what they would grow into.

~~~~~~.:oOo:.~~~~~~

Pier eight was one of the largest docking moors in the island along with piers six, seven and nine, they were only wharfs on the west side of the island that hosted large transit and cargo ships but that afternoon the dock was surprisingly empty- a few sailors and workers lumbered around under the hot summer sun, a dozen fishermen walked across from piers two to four to save time on their way home, a postal worker carefully supervised the loading of a large mail crate into one of the ships and only a handful of people flitted about with suitcases, waiting to board the afternoon ship.

One of those people was a young woman with her hair in three tails, dark mocha skin and chatoyant aqua eyes. She was dressed in a snug sleeveless cerulean top whose first few side buttons were open in an attempt to catch a breeze even though the wind was stuffy and overheated, she wore calf-length navy slacks, cobalt cloth bracelets and a pale blue and white armband, both of which screaming Water Tribe to any passerby, and her small feet were adorned with straw sandals. She was obviously not taking well to the tropical heat and kept fanning herself with a few crumpled pieces of parchment though surprisingly a strong gust of wind seemed to flutter from her swaying fingers to wash over her perspired skin.

"Ugh, how miss the snow." Korra muttered moodily, trying to hide in the shade of a moored ship as she sat over an earthbent slab of rock with her only suitcase at her side and waited for the boarding time, secretly scouring the whole dock in hopes of seeing one or two familiar faces.

She was pretty sure Tarrlok would show up, she knew Noatak would try to persuade the other brother to change his mind but she was hoping that her offer would be tempting enough that the younger brother wouldn't resist showing up and if she got really lucky maybe the older one would tag along, be it out of interest or concern for the other.

Yet the minutes ticked by and there was no sign of the two dark men anywhere so Korra grew impatient and snippy, which didn't help her already sour mood, she had never been able to get used to this sort of heat.

A horn blew behind her, startling a couple of squawking lizard-gulls that started to make a ruckus as a plank was lowered and passengers started to filter into the transit vessel. The Avatar looked around the dock again and then glanced at the tickets in her hand with a disappointed sigh, she had been so certain they would show up that their absence made her feel like a kid whose candy had been stolen.

She stood and earthbent her makeshift bench back onto the ground, picked up her suitcase and walked over to plank, waiting in the far back of the small crowd that had gathered simply to avoid attention until she was clear to board the ship.

"Well, there's always next time." Korra muttered under her breath.

"Planning to visit again?" Someone asked right behind her.

Korra's eyes widened in a flash and she spun around to look at the newcomer, she expected a long haired gentleman with an arrogant smile, instead she was met with the handsome stoic face a man that stood with his hands behind his back.

"You came." The Avatar commented with a grin. "I was starting to think you ran away from me, Noatak."

"Don't misunderstand." He stated in that dark tone that often made her shiver. "I haven't accepted your offer yet."

"Oh? Then why are you here? Come to say goodbye?" She smiled lightly. "And where's your baby brother?"

"Before we decide whether to board that ship or not there are a few things we need to settle." The former equalist stated, ignoring her questions and nodding at the ship behind her.

"Such as?" The raised a brow, looking curious.

"A guarantee than neither myself nor my brother will be arrested, for starters. We aren't asking for immunity or pardon since we know we won't get either and not even you could manage that, we merely want conditional freedom, we are willing to follow the rules any parolee would so long as we are free." Noatak recited diplomatically.

"You got it." She answered in a heartbeat.

"Just like that?" He looked highly suspicious.

"Just like that." Korra smiled with ease.

"How do I know I can trust you?" His cold ice-chip eyes narrowed to stare her down.

"You don't." The Avatar's smile morphed into a smirk. "But I'll sign a written agreement, if you want?"

"…Very well." He conceded, fully aware of the risk and still weighing the pros and cons.

"Is that all?" Korra crossed her arms casually and waited.

"My brother's bending." The former equalist stated.

"No." She replied sharply.

"You told him you could give it back." Noatak's stoic demeanor cracked just a little to reveal a touch of irritation.

"_Could_, not _would_. I'm not returning it that easily, he has to earn it back and you're lucky I don't just take yours right now and give you the same treatment." She pointed out, poking his chest for emphasis.

"I wouldn't be averse to trading my bending for his, considering that my skills are much more dangerous this would be a beneficial deal for you." He swerved the conversation into another direction at the first opening she supplied.

"Oh no, you're not getting off the hook that easily." Korra snickered and shook her head. "I know how you feel about your own bending, I'm not going to let you martyr yourself about losing it unless I have to and I'm not going to trade yours for his just to ease your consciousness. No deal, Tarrlok can earn his skills back in time if you both behave."

"…Fine." Noatak replied sourly, he knew he couldn't ask for better than that.

"Anything else?" She tapped her foot impatiently and heard one of the ship's crew members announcing that ship would depart in fifteen minutes.

"You mentioned rules." The former equalist let the words hang, awaiting her explanation.

"Only three rules to be exact." The Avatar nodded.

"Which are?" He prodded her into continuing.

"First- neither of you can distract me from my work or my friends nor can you demand that I put you above either. Second- you will be my lovers but we are not exclusive, you cannot comment or complain about anyone else I bring home or any other I sleep with and in return I don't care if you cavort around with anyone else either so long as it's not in my house, plus you have to be ok with sharing me with each other. Third- I don't love either of you, never mistake my generosity or any affection for love, never ask for anything more than a physical and co-habiting relationship because you will not get it." She spoke the rules as if she was used to giving that speech over and over by now.

Once all the terms were out, Korra placed a hand on her hip, she was full of confidence and her body language practically dared him to argue with her.

"I can abide by those rules." Noatak nodded curtly, a shadow of a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips because he thought the rules were silly and unnecessary, he couldn't imagine himself breaking them even by accident. He then cocked his head to the side and spoke past the Avatar. "What about you, brother?"

Korra turned in surprise and spotted the former councilor standing nearby with arms crossed, leaning against one of the many cargo crates that littered the area as he listened in on the conversation, she hadn't even noticed him but could hide her delight when she realized he hadn't changed his mind after all.

"I…" Tarrlok hesitated, his brow was scrunched and he seemed reluctant but at last he squared his shoulders and took a breath. "Yes, alright, I can agree with those conditions."

"Well then, what are we waiting for? I hope you brought your luggage along because we're already holding up the boat." Korra smiled brightly and picked up her suitcase, carrying it over her shoulder with ease despite the weight and marching up to the boarding plank with their tickets in hand.

"…We did." Noatak replied reluctantly, nodding at the two grey duffel bags that Tarrlok had been watching over. The older brother didn't want to admit that they had come prepared to accept her offer and that the discussion that they had just gone through was mere formality.

"Great." She smiled and waited for them to join her and, with a boastful wink, she added- "I knew you'd say yes."


	5. Six Months Later

The bathroom door squeaked on its hinges as Noatak banged on it impatiently, he made a mental note to oil those joints later but at the moment he was too busy yelling at the person on the other side.

"It's only been three days, she's not going to find you any different just because of an extra hour priming up, Tarrlok!" The former equalist shouted, he'd been waited for the other to get out of the bathroom for so long that he had lost track of the time.

"Well, pardon me for taking pride in my appearance. If I recall correctly, you used to encourage it." Tarrlok finally unlocked the door and waltzed out, cleanly shaved, impeccably dressed, with not a single hair out of place and smelling of the fancy cologne he so loved. Noatak merely rolled his eyes and strode into the bathroom to get rid of his own stubble.

Yet as he shaved Noatak thought about Tarrlok's words and they rang true- in the past several years Tarrlok had often neglected himself any time he didn't have to work at the club, he just didn't have the will or energy to care about being presentable anymore so Noatak had tried to encourage his old narcissism, now the older brother regretted that sorely because Tarrlok had once again learned to be insufferably vain… Then again the fact that he regained his confidence and pride in his appearance made the vanity worth enduring, Noatak would much rather put up with this version of Tarrlok than the apathetic depressed husk of before and there was only one person to thank for the change- Korra.

It had been very hard at first.

The first weeks back in Republic City were pure nightmare, Korra had been so confident that she could keep them of jail that they actually believed her against their own better judgment but it hadn't been nearly as easy as she expected. As usual the Avatar had overestimated herself, as soon as the authorities found out that the brothers were alive and under Korra's roof they were surrounded and Chief Beifong was unyielding in her pursuit.

To her credit Korra tried to be diplomatic and use her influence peacefully at first, she reminded the police and governing powers that she had saved the country on more than one occasion and that every time they chose ignore her judgment it was at their own peril, she made a convincing case as to why neither brother was a threat anymore and took full responsibility for them. It had almost worked but in the end her arguments weren't heavy enough to weigh against the charges that hung on their heads.

The second course of action was much less peaceful, Korra resorted to intimidation and went as far as threatening to pull away her support of several important governmental and military ventures, at some point she even used her influence as the Southern Water Tribe Chief's daughter as well as the Northern Chief's niece to create an international crisis, her father wasn't happy about it but her aunt, who had taken over after Unalaq was vanquished, supported her decisions unquestionably.

In the end Chief Beifong, the higher ups of the military and the governing President all agreed that allowing Noatak and Tarrlok to go free with heavy penalties and under Korra's jurisdiction was safer and less dangerous that pissing the Avatar off further, considering the damage she could cause in the political and Spiritual fronts.

Nonetheless Korra had to assure everyone that neither brother could bend anymore, a blatant lie but one that came from an immense show of trust in Noatak, he didn't intend to betray that trust and ruin all she was doing for them. It had also helped that Korra rarely ever used her influence or asked for any special treatment, the authorities figured that if pardoning a couple defeated and powerless criminals was the worst she would ask for then they could accommodate her for now even if the criminals were as infamous as those two brothers.

Once the exhausting task of securing their freedom was dealt with, the brothers had begun to see a new side to Korra, they were impressed by how hard she fought for them and how much she risked. At first they thought she was just being stubborn and selfishly doing things for her own petty desires but they soon realized that that wasn't it at all- Korra went through all that trouble because she had promised to help them and she was honorable enough to stick to that promise even if killed her, they also discovered that as arrogant, promiscuous and self-centered as she could be she was also a bleeding heart intent on making the world a better place for everyone whose path she crossed, even them, even after the things they had done to her.

Yes, the first month back in Republic City had been immensely hard and nerve wrecking but thanks to it Noatak and Tarrlok had seen the Avatar in a whole new light and learned to respect her more than anyone they had ever respected, granted that wasn't hard considering the sort of men they had once been, men who hardly cared enough to respect anyone beyond themselves.

Unfortunately once their freedom was settled, a new hurdle arose. People weren't very accepting of their return and the public often lashed out at Korra for being naïve and protecting them, the brothers were ready for backlash and didn't care what was said about them but they thought Korra would quickly grow to resent them as the pressure of public opinion began to stress her out; they knew she was the sort of person that wanted, no, the sort of person that _needed_ approval, she was fearless and headstrong, she mowed down those in her way and did things regardless of what others thought but she had a huge legacy and title to live up to and craved the approval of the world.

They fully expected her to quickly regret her decisions and start to hate them or at the very least to treat them coldly as the trophies they believed she had made them out to be… They were pleasantly disappointed to see that such a thing didn't happen.

Living with Korra could be hectic because of her insane schedules and messy unruly habits but it was pleasant too because she didn't treat them like people living in her house, she treated them like companions and friends sharing a home and she respected them more than they had expected her to even though she was still forceful and demanding in almost everything, particularly sex.

She grew on them faster than they cared to admit, like wild fungi on try bark. Once they put her title aside and just saw her as Korra they began to like her, eventually she was no longer the Avatar to them, she was the girl the never made her bed, the person that pretended the dirty dishes didn't exist until somebody else washed them or until she ran out of cups to drink her tea with, the one that more often than not slept next to her massive polar bear dog and drooled in her dreams, the woman that would rather lift weights and spar that dress up or go shopping, the bender sparked flames in her fingers when she was bored out of her mind, the girl that could turn anything into a perverted joke.

Before they knew it both brothers cared for her like family and she managed to make them smile every day, only then did Noatak realize just how close he had been to just give up on everything. Tarrlok had been the one to actively attempt to get himself killed over and over during those five excruciating years yet now that he considered it Noatak realized that the only reason he hadn't given up on living as well was precisely because he was too busy protecting his brother but now he no longer felt the misery and lack of conviction of before, now he actually looked forward to every new day and so did Tarrlok and all thanks to the woman they had once underestimated so greatly.

Korra didn't understand any of these things, she was sharper than people gave her credit for and skilled at getting what she wanted out of people but she was still had a naïve and easygoing streak that blinded her to other people's real feelings, she was the type that needed to be bludgeoned with one's real thoughts in order to really understand what they wanted and, to be perfectly frank, both brothers were grateful for that because by the fourth month living with Korra they could no longer see her as a younger friend they had sex with. The word _love_ never really came up when they talked about her, it didn't seem fitting just yet but by then she was someone they cared about much more deeply than they should and they were aware that if she found out about their real feelings she would start to push them away.

Noatak was the first one to notice and he only saw it because he had been exactly the same way- he saw that Korra craved affection and support but as soon as people got too close to her heart, as soon as things became romantic and more than just physical she panicked and ran away, she couldn't handle it and she needed to be in full control of her own heart at all times, that was why she had her three rules, that was why she slept around in search for excitement and instant gratification as a replacement for real affection and that was also why she had no problem separating the physical from the emotional and using money to buy people's interest without a shred of shame.

He didn't think it was necessarily a bad thing that she was that way, in fact he thought being in control of her heart was a necessary trait for someone with such a heavy burdening destiny in her hands but as soon as he shared this view with Tarrlok the younger brother smacked him on the head and called him an idiot for ever considering that such an existence could be anything but a gateway to loneliness and bitterness.

Despite Tarrlok's firm conviction that Korra's way of life wasn't beneficial to her in the long run they never said anything about it, they resigned themselves to living that way with her because they refused to say or do anything that would make her pull away, all past resentments against the Avatar were wiped clean more easily than they cared to admit and they were so grateful to her for changing their lives in so many ways that they complied with her every whim and did all they could to pay her back for her kindness.

Korra barely noticed because they were such amazing liars but they became protective and overzealous of her… and jealous, very, very jealous.

After the fourth month and the realization of how they truly felt neither sibling even thought about getting involved with another woman or man again; one or the other sometimes spent the night away merely so Korra wouldn't realize that they only had eyes for her and thus become uncomfortable but they really couldn't see any appeal in seducing other people, not after five years doing just that for no reason other than money and a few fleeting moments of pleasure- it just wasn't satisfying anymore, the only thing that really was satisfying in the physical sense was whenever Korra chose spend the night with them and the only thing better than that was when she fell asleep in one of their beds and stayed there all night long.

So they did all they could to make sure she was satisfied with them and didn't see the need to go elsewhere, they even got over the immense reluctance to indulge in her fantasy of having them both at once and in no time at all they became accustomed to working as team to keep her happy, ignoring the awkwardness of intimacy in the presence of one's own sibling. They would never admit it but eventually they actually started to like the threesome scenario, it was temptingly forbidden and became a way to feel closer to each as well as Korra but it was a rare occurrence, in six months it had happened four times at most and usually just implied each man taking turns with her while the other watched and found ways to tease and touch her or be played with in return.

Nevertheless, though the times all three of them were intimate together were rare that didn't mean being with Korra was ever boring, quite the contrary- during the first month things had been too stressful because of the legal matters around them so they hadn't had the time to explore too deeply but during the second month they quickly discovered that Korra had a kink streak a mile wide which was perfectly fine by them.

Well, it was perfectly fine _now_, it had been a bit of a wild ride at first because Tarrlok was constantly shocked by her levels of perverseness but was more than happy to play along if it meant the two of them could gang up on Noatak, as for the older brother... He had misbehaved at lot at first, once he started trusting the Avatar and getting more comfortable around her they had, ironically, started arguing a lot for any little thing and more often than not he would refuse her sexual advances though she soon found out why. The truth was that Noatak's kink streak was just as wide as hers and being vulnerable under a domineering Avatar was one the biggest turn-ons he had ever known but he was too proud and ashamed to admit it, it had gotten to point where she actually refused to sleep with him for weeks until he admitted the truth and just remembering that period of relentless teasing still made him shudder, Tarrlok on the other hand had had the time of his life watch his big brother squirm.

They had found their roles easily at that time- Korra was the boss, the queen, the playful idol they needed to live for, she was young and far less experienced but passionate and whether she chose to spend the night with one or both of them she always had a surplus of energy, she was always willing to try anything, she could hand out little punishments in spades but she also knew how to reward each of them in the most delicious ways; as for Noatak, he was rough and intense but also incredibly fun to subdue, he was a dangerous feral tiger that liked being on her leash but would tug at his collar and refuse to admit; and Tarrlok, he still had a bit of the venomous snake in him but to the Avatar he was an obedient aristocratic lapdog that enjoyed attention and would slobber her with affection until she gave him what he wanted.

Yet despite how much fun they had together Korra often still popped up with other lovers, usually due to impulsive spur of the moment decisions.

Because of her iron clad rules neither brother ever said anything when Korra spent the night away or came home with another man, the nocturnal visitor often disappeared on his own accord by morning and then either Noatak or Tarrlok would tease her at breakfast about every guy, poking fun at exaggerated flaws of the suitors but always in companionable jest to hide just how furious and envious they really were at those times, after such days they usually ended up finding excuses to trap her in the bedroom with them until she was too exhausted to go look for someone else and she never complained.

Around the fifth month things changed further- on the rare occasions that one such sporadic lover began to see her more frequently the man usually gave up on approaching her in a matter of days, Korra didn't mind (on the contrary, she was grateful for it) but she didn't get why either, little did she know that it was because the brothers were scaring off the would-be suitors, or more accurately- Tarrlok was scaring them off because if he let Noatak beat him to the punch they were likely to end up more than just scared, the elder brother had a mean jealous streak that most people would never even suspect existed so if he got to the philanderers first they would get hurt and could very well never be heard of again.

Tarrlok might have been the first one to foster romantic feelings for the Avatar, feelings that had only grown further while living with her, but Noatak was certainly the one that was most dangerously possessive of her now, in fact he was almost as possessive of her as he was protective of Tarrlok and that was saying a lot so the younger brother often had to keep an eye on the former equalist just to be sure no one-time lover of Korra's would get seriously injured though Yue help the poor soul that ever dared to try to hurt the Avatar, be it physically or emotionally, she was strong and didn't need help defending herself but if either brother so much as suspected such a situation there would be no holding back and they would both be seeking retribution behind Korra's back.

It wasn't that they were trying to control her life and monopolize her attention, such things were impossible even if they tried, Korra was much too independent and her life was fast-paced and unpredictable, she would often go on missions that could last for days and drag her halfway across the globe, more often than not she had to be at political assemblies, providing spiritual services or aiding the authorities and yet she still found time for her hobbies and friends and there was never a dull moment around her. So all Noatak and Tarrlok could do was keep her happy, go along with her when she asked for assistance, do anything they could for her and make sure that they repaid her for the faith she had in them.

It didn't matter that they could no longer follow the lofty bigger-than-thou ambitions that they had once rabidly pursued, it was of no consequence that Tarrlok was no longer the important charming politician that kept manipulating his way to higher power or that Noatak could never again be the silver-tongued revolutionist with a mob of followers and the world's fear on the tips of his fingers; all that had ceased to be important because the moment they were defeated they were forced to come face to face with their errors and the reality that they had become reflections of the person they hated the most in the world, a person that still haunted their every step, yet after the dazzling illusions of their ambitions were shattered, after five miserable years just surviving and never really living, five years lamenting their loses and growing bitter, Korra had done the impossible as was so very typical of her- she had made them want to live again, she had given them something to live for even if it was humble, simple and much more personal compared their old selves… Well, humble and simple weren't really proper words because nothing was more opposite to those words than the Avatar and the Avatar was what they wanted more than anything.

"And you were complaining about me taking forever? She'll be here any minute!" Tarrlok's voice snapped Noatak out of his musings, he had been immersed in thought about the last six months for so long that he had lost track of time once again but at least he was done shaving, his hair was combed and his clothes were casual (unlike Tarrlok's) but presentable. He was ready.

"I know, I know." The older brother left the bathroom, taking a deep calming breath and joining Tarrlok in the living room. He had no idea he could miss her so badly after only three days and by the way Tarrlok kept fidgeting like a kid before his birthday it was likely he felt the same way.

Korra had gone on an assignment in the Fire Nation, it was a slightly delicate matter involving the current Fire Lord and a vengeful volcano Spirit claiming rule over some ancient lands within Fire Nation territory, the situation had escalated to dangerous levels and the Avatar was called to do her job as mediator between the Spirits and the humans. Korra's friends, her team for all intents and purposes, had tagged along as usual but Tarrlok and Noatak were discouraged from joining because Korra claimed they weren't needed which was code to say her friends didn't trust them.

Noatak and Tarrlok couldn't care less that the Avatar's friends and masters didn't approve of them, they didn't give a damn that they were barred from entering Air Temple Island until further notice or that Chief Beifong refused to acknowledge their existence, they weren't even offended by Miss Sato, Bolin and Mako's frequent visits to make sure that Korra was safe from her bedroom companions, but if there was one thing they hated it was to be apart from her for extended periods of time with no way to ensure her safety. That and they disliked Mako immensely so knowing she was with him ticked them off, Tarrlok had always found the firebender insufferable but now they knew he had been Korra's lover for half a year and the relationship had only brought confusion and heartache in the end when they decided to remain friends, they also knew that even after five long years and despite Mako's serious relationship with Asami there were still sparks between him and the Avatar and the brothers despised the firebender for that, for having more with Korra than they ever could.

The first sign that she was close was her heartbeat that Noatak picked up at once with his skills, then they heard her laugh before any other indication of her presence reached them, she was talking to someone outside and when the door opened her massive polar bear dog padded in while the Avatar still lingered in the doorway.

"…paying tomorrow, ok?" She laughed, that loud but cheerful boisterous laugh that was reminiscent of pleasant things like the clatter of ice cubes against glass in a cool drink at good party as well as the sudden crackle and warmth of a golden open flame, all at the once.

"You sure you don't want to come over today?" A velvety voice like a chirping nighting-quoll asked in distance, they immediately recognized it as Miss Sato's.

"Nah, I'm beat." Korra replied with ease. "See you tomorrow, guys. And don't let Bo drink, he gets all whiny when he's hung-over." She laughed again and waved, before shutting the door, kicking off her boots and stretching lazily.

"Welcome back." Tarrlok stated at once, rushing over to help her with her coat before she tossed it on the floor as usual. He kept trying to teach her proper ladylike manners but she just didn't care, at least not in her own house.

"Yes, welcome home." Noatak added, looking over her from head to toe and spotting a couple of rapidly healing burns on her arm and shoulder, at the sight of these he exchange a concerned glance with his brother. "How was the mission?"

"Exciting!" She practically hopped around cheerfully as she headed to the kitchen with the two of them on her tail. "Can you believe I had never seen lava before this trip? Man, was that stuff awesome."

"I thought the whole point was to be diplomatic and _avoid_ a volcanic eruption?" Noatak cocked at brow, already certain things hadn't gone according to plan, with Korra they never did.

"Meh, the Spirit was too touchy, couldn't help it." Korra shrugged and smirked as she reached into the kitchen cupboard for some dry rations and fed Naga who quickly started gobbling down food from sink-sized feeding dish.

"Were there any casualties?" The former equalist was more concerned about the rural villages in that area that were mainly populated by non-benders.

"Just some injuries but damn, it was fun! Bending earth and fire AT THE SAME TIME and fighting magma ghouls and actually seeing the Fire Lord in action! She's one though cookie, I'll give her that." The Avatar rambled enthusiastically, already moving back to the living room.

"I thought you said the Spirit's claim was justified?" Tarrlok looked amused despite his question, he loved teasing Korra about her lack of political prowess.

"Well it was, he was the reigning Spirit there for the last three thousand years but he didn't need to be an asshole about it. Besides he attacked first." She shrugged again and rolled her eyes impatiently, she then plopped down on her rust colored couch. "Don't worry, it worked out in the end. I had to fight to actually get to the Spirit's core body but once I did we had a nice long chat and I managed to form a deal between him and the Fire Lord." She smiled smugly and the room suddenly looked brighter around the brothers.

"By nice long chat do you mean you threatened him with bodily harm?" Tarrlok poked at her ribs, watching his squirm ticklishly just because he wanted more of that smile. However, something irritated him slightly but he pushed it back to focus on her joy.

"Now why would you think that?" She enquired almost sarcastically.

"I know you." The former councilor retorted.

"You do, huh?" Korra snickered and moved closer. "I didn't threaten him though… Just reminded him of the consequences of messing with me."

"Yet he seems to have done a number on you." Noatak remarked, he sat beside her as well and gestured at the burn marks.

"Nothing I can't handle." She dismissed with a wave.

Other than the injuries Noatak then also noticed the same thing that was secretly irritating Tarrlok and it annoyed him too- that smell.

They loved Korra's scent, she only ever wore perfume on formal events but even without it she always smelled pleasantly, the odor of her favorite cinnamon shampoo and peppermint soap mingled perfectly with the natural scent of her skin and the residual smell of Naga's fur that always clung to the Avatar but at the moment that perfect mix was marred by others- they could sense Miss Sato's jasmine perfume, Bolin's petrichor flavored cologne and… that disgusting burned aftershave smell that they had come to hate.

It was silly and more than a little obsessively creepy but the brothers had grown accustomed to her smell by sleeping with her pillows and holding her at any given chance so any little variation in scent became one of the easiest non-concealable ways to know where she had been and with whom and the odors of her best friends and of the airbenders had become imprinted in their memories thanks to the frequent visits of those very people. Luckily, at the moment none of the other scents seemed too prevalent so they decided to let it go.

Tarrlok traced her hand gently, brought it up to his mouth and allowed his lips to ghost over a burn in faint kisses as he commented sneakily- "If I had my bending I could heal these for you since Noatak is so useless." Of course Tarrlok only meant his brother was useless at water-healing but he was purposely vague to mock the other.

"Nice try." The Avatar grinned and tapped his nose with her index finger, she then leaned back against Noatak's wide hard chest and reached up to grab the collar of his shirt and pull him down so she could kiss his cheek, she also plopped her legs over Tarrlok's lap, bending one of them at the knee and rubbing his inner thigh with her petite bare foot. "You could still make me feel better though… I know something neither of you is useless at. If you do a good job I'll give some souvenirs from the Fire Nation." Korra wiggled her brows, as if her words weren't already filled with enough innuendo.

"What are we waiting for then?" Noatak shifted slightly to capture her lips with his own, Tarrlok just shook his head and smirked while his hands roamed up her legs.

Yes, Korra was definitely home now.

~~~~~~.:oOo:.~~~~~~

_(Author's Note: Might I warn everyone that this story will be heavy on gratuitous smut and kink exploration? It will still have plot though, especially from here on out._

_Also after writing this chapter I get the intense urge to see Korra sitting on a couch like a queen with Tarrlok lying draped over her lap like a pet and Noatak sitting on the floor half-naked looking all wild while Korra has him a literal leash… That would totally be the cover for this fic. Pity I can't art to save my life. xD)_


	6. The Visitor

A rather jittery knock on the door caught Noatak's attention, it had been three weeks since Korra's Fire Nation adventure but he had been reading about the current repercussions of it in that region in the newspaper that day, hoping that everything had worked out for the best thus far, when the low rasp of knuckles on wood interrupted his focus.

He glanced at the wall clock and noticed that it was still early for Korra to be home seeing as she had gone to some sort of political dinner with a bunch of socialites and politicians, he was also pretty sure she wouldn't have knocked even if she sometimes did if she happened to have forgotten her keys or drank too much to find them; no, he was pretty sure that after any stuffy political dinner that she had not been able to get out of as usual she would just kick the door open and storm inside in a bad mood after an evening of having to staple a phony smile on her face with Tenzin whispering instructions at her side.

The knock sounded again and it seemed Tarrlok was going to ignore it completely as he did whatever it was in the kitchen (considering the smell Noatak assumed his brother was _trying_ to make Korra's favorite cinnamon buns, emphasis on the _trying_) so the former equalist folded his newspaper and headed to the door.

On the other side, holding a large bouquet of bright blue cloud-roses, was a man in his late-twenties with wind-swept mahogany hair, hazel eyes that lifted in the corners and lips that looked chewed emphasizing a nervous demeanor, he wore rather relaxed but nonetheless elegant taupe clothing and had a charming expectant smile plastered on his face… that is, until he saw who answered his knock, then he turned as pale as a sheet, his eyes bugged out and his mouth dropped a little in that typical 'oh shit, it's Amon' expression that Noatak was used too but that still delighted him to no end.

"May I help you?" The former equalist enquired icily, he could already guess what this was about.

"Hello sir." The man shifted uncomfortably, lowering the flowers. "Is Miss Korra home?"

"Perhaps she is, perhaps she isn't." Noatak surveyed the man critically, he seemed to recall seeing him somewhere before. "May I know who's asking?"

"I am an acquaintance… Well, more than an acquaintance really but since she seems to have forgotten to keep in touch…" The guy trailed off.

«He's one of _those_… Poor bastard.» Noatak thought to himself.

He felt a twinge of pity for the man that had probably been one of Korra's sporadic conquests and didn't seem to get the hint that she wanted nothing more to do with him, if it were not for that little touch of pity to dampen his jealousy, Noatak would probably had been furious but given the circumstances he did not have enough belligerence against to visitor to do him any harm… That didn't mean he wouldn't scare him away though.

"Being Avatar is a very stressful and tiresome burden, she cannot always keep up with inconsequential contacts." He remarked dryly.

"Inconsequential?!" The man sputtered, a little offended.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to imply that you are unimportant, after all you know the Avatar and, if I'm correct in my assumptions, you probably know her a little _too_ well in the physical sense and that's a powerful connection to have, isn't it?" Noatak smiled, it was a very charming and charismatic smile but dangerous and devoid of any positive emotion whatsoever. "I would be careful though, you never know what sort of criminals and fiends might want to harm the Avatar's closest relations for whatever reason… There have been people gutted like moo-sows and left to bleed themselves dry merely because they got a little too close to such a powerful person."

The man swallowed audibly and took a step back, apparently picking up on the double entendre and shivering at the sudden drop in temperature in the air, he was unable to form coherent words so after a moment the predatory smile on Noatak's lips morphed into something more relaxed and jovial- he had hit the mark, no need to drag this out.

"Now, what is it you want with our esteemed Avatar?" The former equalist asked, head cocked to the side and his arms crossed over his chest, emphasizing his flexing muscles, he looked like a perfectly straight wall of a man blocking the doorway but remained at ease nonetheless.

"I… Um… Well… To be honest… I'm not really sure what I'm doing here anymore…" The guy fidgeted, taking another step away. "I… I'm sorry to have disturbed. Goodbye." The stumbled away so quickly that the flowers fell to the ground and he didn't bother picking them up in his haste to escape.

Noatak chuckled as he watched the visitor break into a run as soon as he turned the corner. The cloud-roses were still on the ground and he picked them up, examining the lovely soft-scented flowers and the embellished card that came with them.

"What are you still doing standing at the door like a damn dog waiting for its owner?" Tarrlok's voice suddenly broke the silence as the man in question appeared beside him. "Oh? Cloud-roses? Was there a flower cart passing by?"

"No." Noatak turned on his heels and walked back inside, tossing the flowers onto the table that Tarrlok recued them from to put them in water.

"Are you giving them to Korra?" The ex-councilor snickered slightly, looking for a way to embarrass his sibling and sappiness was always a good excuse.

"As if I'd ever give her flowers of all things." The older brother rolled his eyes and took a seat at the kitchen table, eyeing the misshaped buns cooling on a platter- well, at least they weren't burned this time.

"Why?" The other enquired curious.

"She hates them." Noatak retorted.

"She does not hate flowers." Tarrlok shook his head condescendingly.

"Perhaps not _hate_ but she finds them pointless and bothersome and I'd have to agree- as symbolic as they can be what is the practical use of a gift that shrivels and dies a couple of days later and does nothing but decorate?"

"A pretty and fragrant representation of the ephemeral nature of affection?" The younger brother suggested tentatively but not at all serious.

"Shut up." Noatak shot at him.

"So where did flowers come from then? Another one of _those_ guys?" The emphasis and tone made it clear that Tarrlok wasn't too happy about Korra's male admirers either.

"Yes. They don't seem to get the hint, she tells them right from the start that she does not want a relationship even if she sleeps with them but you'd think that after several ignored contact attempts the message would really sink in." The former equalist frowned, annoyance dripped from his words.

"I don't have to clean any blood of the porch, do I?" Tarrlok joked, though he did actually expect a reply.

"No, he was pitiful and scared to death of me. I just shooed him away without a fuss." He shrugged dismissively.

"Ah, the wonders of living with the infamous Amon! No unwanted visitors or solicitors really dare knock on our door anymore." The younger brother laughed smugly.

"If only want-to-be suitors would learn to stay away as well I'd be more than glad to be doorman." Noatak grumbled.

"Be careful, one would almost think you're being jealous." Tarrlok stated all too seriously this time.

"I am." The former equalist scowled.

"Yes, but hiding that from Korra is in your best interests. You know her rules." The other repressed a sigh and propped the flowers in a vase half-filled with water.

"You mean her idiotic attempts at pushing people away?" Noatak grit his teeth at the topic, he managed to obey her rules with a straight face just fine when she was around but he did not see the need to hide his true feelings from Tarrlok.

"Be careful, Noatak. You do remember the last time you antagonized her about the rules, don't you?" The younger man placed the vase on the table and leaned against the kitchen counter.

"I remember you helped her make my life hell for weeks." The older one accused bitterly.

"Hell? All she did was refuse to touch you and it's not my fault that the wall between out rooms is paper thin." Tarrlok snickered this time in an obviously mocking manner.

"You fucked her in every surface of this house while she wouldn't so much as let she pat her shoulder, you made sure to be as loud as possible every night when she wouldn't direct a single word to me, you made snide remarks about my attitude and laughed with her while I was pushed aside, you made sure I was always in the perfect spot to catch her in compromising positions when she was training or coming out of the bath or changing just to see how affected that made me and both even made sure that I would get no semblance of privacy to so much as relieve myself after all that despicable teasing."

Noatak enumerated the accusations with stunning detail, daring the other to deny them; he also suspected that aphrodisiac pranks had been involved at the time to keep him as bothered as possible but he couldn't prove it so he chose not to mention that part just in case he was being paranoid. The strangest part was that he had not been jealous of Tarrlok, more like he had been annoyed at being left out and ridiculed.

A cryptic silence filled room and Noatak simply finished weakly with- "I still resent you for that."

"It was your own fault, you shouldn't have picked fights with her over every ridiculous little thing like her naïve political views or frivolous use of bending and you most certainly shouldn't have tried chiding her about her choices in one-night stands." The ex-councilor stated without a shred of remorse.

"You were thinking the same thing! Half of those pests only want her for the bragging rights of having bed the Avatar and more than half aren't even good enough to touch her properly." The former equalist snarled, his usually control temper suddenly spiraling into rage at the mere thought of the other men Korra chose to play with.

"I agree but if I recall correctly you were the one who said you had no problem with her rules, I distinctly remember _you_ admonishing _me_ for so much as being disappointed at her lack of interest towards romance." Tarrlok clicked his tongue to express his own irritation.

"Things change." Noatak grumbled once more. "Either way, you did not need to side with her to make your own brother's life hell."

"Was it really so bad?" The other arched a perfectly groomed brow quizzically.

"You know the answer to that."

"You enjoyed the reconciliation though, didn't you?" Tarrlok grinned knowingly.

"That… That's not the point." Noatak looked away, suddenly uncomfortable with the topic.

"It was quite interesting, she's stubborn but so are you yet I never thought you'd cave in first." The ex-councilor continued, musing to himself.

"Who says I did?" The former revolutionist's eyes narrowed, deepening his scowl.

"Come on, Noatak." Tarrlok mocked and began to narrate in an almost dreamy voice. "You got desperate. I remember it well- she came home at lunch time from that ambassador meeting just to change out of those business clothes and you were coming out of the shower, she started a fight because you used up the hot water and you were just so stunned that she was actually talking to you that you couldn't help but apologize about everything even when she flinched away from your touch, you even kneeled at her feet."

"What? How do you even…? Did she tell you this?" Noatak looked suspicious and awkward now.

"I saw it." A smug smirk danced in other's lips. "What does it feel like, by the way? I've been curious."

"You… What do you mean?" The older brother stared at the wall, trying to act nonchalant.

"That thing you did, I'm sure there's a name for it, is there?" Tarrlok simply could not stop smirking.

"What thing…?" Noatak played dumb, hoping that his brother was just baiting him into revealing something more.

"I recall seeing you kneeling naked in front of her and going as far as kissing her feet just to beg for her to stop shunning you." Tarrlok began to narrate again, now with a hint of malice. "She rolled her eyes and tried to act mean because she was still angry but all she managed was to act cold and pity you, Korra eventually said that if you were really so on edge you should prove to her just how needy you were and how sorry you were but she still refused to touch you and just crossed her arms and stood there pouting, then you…"

"Ok, ok, enough!" Noatak interrupted, now blushing up to his ears. So it wasn't just a bait after all, unfortunately Tarrlok ignored the interruption completely and continued to reminisce.

"…You stayed on your knees and pushed that cerulean skirt of hers up, pulled her undergarments aside, shoved your face into her crotch and started to kiss and lick until her hands finally landed in your hair and little sounds of pleasure reluctantly slipped out of her lips. Meanwhile you held on to her legs, thrusting your cock between feet, or ankles to be more precise, to get yourself off while you made sure to make her squeal with your tongue. Thank goodness for high heels, am I right?" Tarrlok laughed arrogantly, he was enjoying the merciless teasing. "A pity she didn't have time for much more before returning to work, I remember how humiliated and sulky you were that whole afternoon much to my exasperation seeing as you kept snapping at me, and to make matters worse I couldn't sleep at all that night with you two screwing like jackalopes in heat in the next room… But at least the fighting seemed to end after that, I'm glad you learned not to antagonize her so much since then."

"Please stop talking." Noatak practically begged, now so flushed that his dark skin had taken on the hue of an over-ripe carrot-tomato.

"I'm sorry but did you really think I didn't witness the whole thing?" The younger brother laughed again, if the former revolutionist didn't feel so mortified he might have actually marveled at the sound of Tarrlok laughing since he had spent so many years without hearing it.

"I hoped…" The older trailed off awkwardly.

"I wouldn't miss seeing you that humiliated for anything in this world, big brother." Tarrlok assured, still chortling. "But really, how did it feel? Every part of Korra is delectable but using her ankles is a whole new level of perversion, even for you."

"If you don't shut up soon I will smack you, little brother." Noatak almost pouted.

"Why? All I asked was what it felt like to use her ankles to get off while you ate her out." The other kept prodding malevolently.

"By the way he came all over my shoes, I'd say it felt pretty good." A new voice suddenly caught their attention and both men nearly jumped and looked to the doorway where the Avatar stood in one of the demure dark navy dresses she so hated but that looked lovely on her.

"Korra! When did you…?" Noatak was alarmed, he had been so distracted by his own humiliation that he hadn't noticed the very distinct feeling of her heartbeat coming near.

"Around the 'thank goodness for high heels' part." Korra grinned even more cockily than Tarrlok but then faced the man in question with a slight hint of a pout. "By the way- no. High heels may be sexy for foreplay but they are too damn uncomfortable for everyday use in my opinion yet Asami insists that I can't go to meetings in mukluks."

To highlight her words she kicked off her high heeled pumps so hard that they clattered against the wall and she walked barefoot on the cold waxed wood of the kitchen floor towards them. Just then Tarrlok noticed that the flowers still had the card on them and he quickly snatched the paper away and crushed it behind his back, hoping she hadn't noticed.

"Ah, darling, don't you like feeling less like a midget in them? I figured you'd love to be able to look down on people for a change." Tarrlok teased to hide his actions.

"Hardy har har, maybe I should kick your shins until you kneel and then I can look down on you for a while." The Avatar returned none too happy.

"How cruel." The ex-councilor faked offense.

"Don't you forget it." She smiled with ease.

"Isn't early for you to be home?" Noatak enquired suspiciously and still flustered.

"Snuck out early, couldn't stand the boring talk anymore." Korra shrugged as she leaned to the table and, as Noatak had predicted, she overlooked the presence of the flowers completely glanced instead at the platter of misshaped confections. "Are those cinnamon buns?"

"Yes." Tarrlok smiled charmingly.

"Or at least a vague visual approximation." Noatak added, this time he was the one doing the mocking.

"Hush, I'm confident that these taste good." The younger brother defended.

"Great, I'm tired of fancy finger foods." Korra reached for a bun all too eagerly.

"Careful, Korra. I wouldn't trust my brother to know the difference between salt and sugar." Noatak joshed further, slowly recovering from the aggressive blush now that the focus was off him. Luckily these two people were already used to his twisted tastes and found his odd kinks trivial and amusing rather than disgusting as most people would, some they even shared with him, a fact that he was secretly grateful for.

"Well, if it tastes that bad you can hold my hair while I puke." The Avatar stuck her tongue out at the former revolutionist and took a bite off the bun that seemed to have a rather gooey interior, chewing slowly with a critical face before swallowing and glancing at Tarrlok. "…Ok, it's not bad, just little undercooked. You're getting better."

Tarrlok flourished at the praise, he was a talented man and such small compliments tended to be greeted with condescending pride from him but when it came to Korra he had learned to take pleasure in all the small triumphs and the unusually sincere smile that bloomed on his face appeared to take decades off his appearance.

Once again Noatak felt that occasional pang of gratitude towards the Avatar, he had once despised her and all she represented so much and then when he started to appreciate her he chose to see his attraction as a way to rebel against his father's memory but now he appreciated everything about her, especially the way she could make them feel so human and glad to be alive with the most insignificant little things she did or said and she didn't even realize how she affected them.

"Anything interesting happen today?" Korra enquired as she chomped on the rest of the bun, sitting on the edge of the table with her feet dangling off.

"No… Nothing at all." Noatak wasn't really lying, the visitor wasn't something interesting to him.

"We are just glad to have you home." Tarrlok reinforced, standing next to her and clearly reigning in the urge to kiss her cheek or give so sort of display of romantic affection that they knew wasn't likely to be well received out of the blue.

"Yeah, right. You were probably hoping to have the house to yourselves for the night." She laughed, very sure of herself and although she was totally wrong they couldn't help but grin at the sound of her smoky boisterous laugh. "Too bad for you but you'll have to put up with me as usual."

Korra's lascivious smile made her intentions all too clear and Tarrlok immediately leaned to her asking whose bed they'd be playing in that night with an equally lewd grin spreading on his features, one that the former equalist found himself mirroring almost unconsciously.

Noatak wondered then, for a fleeting moment, just how long they could keep up the foolish pretense that they hadn't fallen head over heels for this young woman.

~~~~~~.:oOo:.~~~~~~

_(Author's Note: Sorry for the delay posting this, as I explained in my other fic- convention, cosplay, family illness and overall life got in the way. Trying to regain my pace now. Thank you for the support on this fic thus far!_

_REALYoshiiteza- Nope, no chapters were altered or deleted. Maybe you caught a temporary ff glitch?_

_Meowometer- Thank you so much for your review! I admit that at first this was supposed to a requested one-shot for gratuitous smut with a vague but interesting/unique romantic sub-plot but it inspired me and spiraled into something deeper and with a more meaningful story although still heavy on sexual thematic (though it is relevant to the story and character development and not actually gratuitous) and kink exploration; it's also meant to test out a slightly different writing style for me (it's fully intended to be completely unlike from "Castaway" in most, if not all, aspects and much more fast-paced) so I'm very glad it's not disappointing so far! I hope you keep enjoying it to the end. _

_Also, ff censors links but I do know the artist whose art you shared and the picture in question which is quite fitting, by the way. I've been following the work of freestarisis (aka popalaz321, aka Isis-T) for a couple of years now and I'm a big fan of her LoK stuff, she's an amazing Amorralok supporter whom I adore so it's an honor to have my fic remind anyone of her art in even the tiniest way. Thanks.)_


	7. Tarrlok's Musings

Tarrlok stretched lazily, all the vertebras in his back seemed to pop with the sinuous motion before he leaned back in bed, rubbing his eyes tiredly but chuckling at the scene before him.

Korra had fallen asleep in his bed, she was only in her underwear, her hair was a loose mess and she was drooling slightly in her sleep with her brows a little pinched; Noatak was there too and also only in undershorts but Tarrlok didn't really care about that even though the older brother was actually snoring lightly with his head buried in Korra's lap, both figures sprawled in odd angles with scraps of paper around them.

They hadn't actually been doing anything sexual that night, Korra had needed help drafting a speech and preparing answers for possible media questions for a press conference that was happening the next day so they had offered to help.

The situation was delicate, for the past two months since she returned from the Fire Nation Korra had been managing to skirt most of the political side of her work, focusing on the social and spiritual side and neglecting all sorts of official summons, it wasn't a rare occurrence because she truly hated politics but now she had been involved in a problem only she could solve and it was proving harder than anyone had initially expected.

For the past two weeks Republic City's main factories and industrial compounds were under attack by Spirits living around them, workers were getting possessed, machinery was damaged, tasks were sabotaged and raw materials were compromised; Future Industries' satomobile and mecha factories were included as well as their metalworking facility, one of Varrick's own manufacturing units too as well as a Cabbage Corp compound and two international companies. The reason was simple- the pollution caused by large facilities was ruining the habitat of the local Spirits and all other living beings around it and so the Spirits had gone on a rampage to punish those responsible.

Avatar Aang had faced a similar problem before but Korra's case was much worse than what her predecessor had faced and therefore gave very little reference of what she could do to solve things, to make matters even more dire other Spirits in the heavily industrialized Fire Nation were following on the footsteps of their comrades and those in the North Pole and Earth Kingdom threatened to follow suit.

After realizing that she had to take the Spirit's side for once, Korra at first considered just closing down the offending factories or moving them but she realized that it was impossible, 75% of employment in the entire United Republic depended at some level on the various industries that had built the nation, the owners could not afford to merely shut down and refused to change their livelihood that easily and as the progress capital of the world if Republic City's corporate world fell then an economic crisis was likely to drag the whole world down.

Years ago Korra had once said that by joining both worlds she would no longer be the bridged but that proved false because she became the most crucial ruling intermediary between humanity and Spirits, when things went wrong she was the one called to arbitrate and in this case the best solution was to compromise.

Korra been mediating between the two sides for a couple of weeks now, she got both sides to agree to a truce if the humans could reduce their damage and the Spirits were given more ground to cover elsewhere if they agreed to cooperate with the entrepreneurs. The Avatar had also managed to get Varrick and Asami to work on ways to reduce waste, energy consumption and pollution in their enterprises, they were actually creating an joint research facility for that effect, one in which even Spirits helped by sharing their knowledge; the other industrialists were reluctant to invest so much money on such things but they soon realized they would fall if they did not share in whatever solutions were found so they began to cooperate yet thus far the efforts were not bringing forth satisfactory results fast enough.

Yes, the situation was delicate and hanging on a very fragile balance and the longer the matter dragged on the more precarious the truce became so Korra was asked to do a press conference, something that would urge the human and Spirit population to join forces and work together to preserve their lands, something that would reach ears in other nations and calm the growing turmoil, something that would prove that they were working on a solution and not slacking off.

The problem with the press conference was that Korra was a disaster with the media, she was used to the cameras but she hated them with a passion, add to that that Tenzin's advice on the matter was much too passive and Asami couldn't help because she was directly involved with one of the parts of the fray and the result was a very stressed out Avatar.

So she ended up resorting to Noatak and Tarrlok, the older brother was still one of the most charismatic men alive and his speeches were brilliant, with his help Korra would have just the right words to appeal to everyone directly and get them emotionally invested on her cause. On the other hand Noatak had no patience for political games and was too direct which meant that his advice was lacking in terms of handling the politicians and entrepreneurs involved as well as how to deal with the media but that's where Tarrlok came in, he knew exactly how to weave through the political world, he told her who to flatter into supporting her and whose toes to step on to get the reactions she needed and he taught her how to handle curve balls from reporters and how to twist their questions to give out the information she needed without sticking her foot in her mouth.

The brothers had been working with her on these things all evening until Korra and Noatak finally passed out on Tarrlok's bed, the man himself couldn't sleep though, he was content to just sit next to them and review the speech and answers they had compiled while occasionally pausing to watch the Avatar sleep, he kind of liked the little clueless-child look that took over her face when she slept and watching Noatak snuggle to another person was nostalgic and reminiscent of the happier times when they were kids.

Eventually he pushed all the paperwork onto the bedside table and leaned back, Tarrlok had stopped being able to focus on it and was instead immersed on thoughts that had been haunting him lately.

They had been with the Avatar for eight months now and things hadn't crashed and burned spectacularly so far which was a bit surprising, he had been so depressed and pessimistic for so long that despite his hopes he had never really been expecting things to go well at all, he hoped to get close to the Avatar and get his bending back but he had practically counted on ending up in jail or worse in a month after accepting her crazy proposal. When things turned out very different from his expectations he wasn't sure how to feel, at first he had just been glad for a life change, he had been relieved to be back in the city without having to hide and had no qualms with taking advantage of Korra's kindness but then he started to feel for her more and more until he could no longer see a future without her in it and in the process he found himself fully reconciling with Noatak and the idea of being apart from either of them became too painful to dwell on.

He didn't want to admit he was in love with the Avatar, to him love was something that had to be cultivated and nurtured, he always appeared to be the romantic and the gentle one in the trio but it wasn't quite like that- Noatak was the one with idealistic and simplistic views on love, views that he was so scared would break his careful control that he ended up just acting on the physical side of things and shielded himself from actual emotion, yet when Noatak fell for someone he fell _hard_ and his whole universe tilted to revolve around that person on an obsessive and almost delusional level; Tarrlok was different, he wasn't at all afraid of emotional expressions of affection, he was keen of sappy romantic displays and he thrived on making people like him but when it came to real emotion, real love, he was careful, he didn't trust himself not to screw things up so even if he made astronomic efforts to woo a person he never really invested his heart or made himself vulnerable, people had to earn his love.

And then there was Korra.

Despite all these things, despite their views on love and their personalities, Korra was a force or nature that turned their world upside down with ease, Noatak was already addicted to and emotionally dependent on her even if he would never in a million years show it, he probably didn't even see the extent of his attachment to her himself and as for Tarrlok… what he felt for Korra after all those months couldn't be called just attraction anymore, it was no longer just him trying to keep her happy to improve his own lifestyle, it had no definition that fit other than 'love' and he was terrified because of it.

Korra actually made him feel glad to be alive, she actually gave him a reason to smile honestly, she made him want to be a decent person rather than a greedy narcissist, their snarky banter brightened his days but despite that he couldn't say he was happy, he was too filled with anxiety to be truly happy.

The reason for this anxiety and well as Noatak's permanent frustration was Korra's own view on love, they were perfectly aware that she didn't love them but they knew she felt _something_ for them, she tried to lie to herself about it but it showed through. Korra thought of love as a flaw, something that would make her life needlessly complicated and would open her to hurt, something that would threaten her independence and consume too much of her busy life, Korra was a bleeding heart who loved easily and selflessly but only in the platonic and familial realms, anything else was just asking too much and she would shut it out in the blink of an eye.

In short- the Avatar was passionate and kind but she despised the concept and romantic love, she saw it as naïve and denied it completely to the point of blinding herself to what she truly wanted. Tarrlok firmly believed that she couldn't keep living like that forever, it would lead only to loneliness and turn her bitter.

It's not that he believed one could not live without love or romance, no, the ex-councilor actually thought that a life without romantic attachments could be perfectly happy and fulfilling but it took a specific kind of person to pull it off and Korra wasn't that sort of person, she was the kind that wore her heart in her sleeve and would be so much happier loving unrestrained, he could already see how her promiscuous lifestyle left her craving more and worked in a vicious cycle, it was a search of momentary affection and gratification that was entertaining and thrilling in the moment but left her empty and hungrier for more afterwards but she ignored those sensations because she didn't want to let herself get attached to anyone.

The brothers just wished they knew what had made her this way, it just felt too extreme to have been a result of a single hurtful break-up and perhaps if they knew they could… What? Fix her? Was there really anything to fix? It's not like she was broken after all so what was it they wanted? Well, Tarrlok for one wanted more, he wanted to have Korra by his side forever but more than that he wanted her to want him back and not just physically…

«Why am I thinking like a swooning teenager? I'm much too old to pine after a girl half my age.» Tarrlok admonished himself silently but when he saw his older brother cuddled to Korra he wondered if anyone was really too old to love so guilelessly.

With a sigh Tarrlok's head sunk onto his pillow and he turned to face the sleeping forms next to him, Korra's eyelids fluttered as she dreamt and he wished he could her dream about him… On second thought, he wished he could make her dream of happier and simpler things because at exact moment she looked a little distressed- her brows scrunched, she muttered nonsensically under her breath and fidgeted a bit in her sleep. She seemed to be having a nightmare.

Tarrlok was just considering whether to wake her or not when Noatak mumbled and stirred since her movement had woken him, the former equalist sat up slowly, rubbing sleep from his eyes and looking around slightly confused.

"What time is it?" The older brother asked groggily.

"No idea. Middle of the night from all I know." Tarrlok replied in a whisper.

"Did you sleep at all?" Noatak surveyed the other with tired eyes.

"Not yet." He shook his head quietly and glanced back at the Avatar who was mumbling into the bed sheets and tossed around a bit.

"Has she been this way for long?" The former equalist enquired, voice tinted with a slight touch of concern.

"A couple of minutes." Tarrlok edged closer, he didn't want to Korra to leave his bed but both men knew a nightmare when they saw one. "Should we wake her?"

"I think so." Noatak leaned over her and reached to gently touch the Avatar's shoulder. "Korra…?"

She reacted but not by waking up, instead Noatak's voice appeared to distress her further, she kicked in her sleep and mumbled something incomprehensible with a frightened little voice.

"Korra, wake up." Tarrlok reinforced louder, shaking her a bit more forcefully, she was a heavy sleeper after all.

"Ah!" Korra sat up in a flash, eyes popping open and darting around the room nervously with her hair spilling over her face and perspiration dewing on her skin. She looked feral but scared for a moment until she fully recognized them and the room she was in, then her expression softened into mild surprised and relief. "Huh? Oh, it's you guys."

"Sorry to wake you but you looked uncomfortable." Noatak explained apologetically.

"Are you ok?" Tarrlok wondered, he was pretty sure he knew why Noatak's voice had only managed to rile her more- she was dreaming about monsters of the past.

"…I… I'm…" The Avatar hesitated and ran her shaky hands through her messy hair, trying to compose herself and failing miserably to hide the way she trembled.

"Come here." Tarrlok gestured for her to move into his arms.

"No, I'm fine…" Korra defended weakly, she swallowed the lump in her throat and took a breath, trying to look tough. "I'm fine, I'm ok."

"No, you're not." Noatak pulled her to sit between the two brothers. "It's ok, if anyone knows how terrifying nightmares can be, it's us."

She glanced at them cautiously but the sincerity in the former equalist's voice managed to make her drop her guard a little. "…It wasn't a dream."

"A memory?" Tarrlok guessed.

"Several…" Korra wavered and then began to ramble under her breath. "War and traitors, dark Spirits and my uncle and Vaatu and the Spirit World and…stuff."

"Amon too, I assume?" Noatak asked, not unkindly.

"What? How… Why do you…?" She became tense and flustered.

"I know. I made a pretty terrible impression back then, didn't I?" The former equalist grimaced but placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her from edging away.

"Yeah, you did…" Korra pouted and grumbled. "Asshole."

"Did I ever apologize for that?" Noatak questioned.

"Why would you? It's not like you regret what you did." She replied carelessly.

"That's not quite true. I don't regret my goals, I still think we equalists were right, but I regret my methods, I regret having let the power inflate my ego…" The older brother tipped her face gently, forcing her to look him in the eye. "And I regret how I treated you, we were enemies and I wanted to be the monster in your nightmares, I wanted to cripple you with fear for strategic purposes but it was unfair, you were seventeen and I was projecting my hate on your title without actually trying to see the human in you." He bowed his head respectfully. "I'm sorry, Korra."

"Whatever… Amon isn't the scariest thing in my memories anymore." The Avatar shrugged, acting as if the matter was unimportant when she was actually just surprised and completely caught off guard.

"…" Noatak couldn't reply to that and he traded a significant and concerned look with the ex-councilor.

"I want to apologize too." Tarrlok blurted out, going with the flow.

"Huh? What the heck for?" She looked sincerely confused.

"I've been wanting to say this for a while but I could never find the right moment. I wanted to apologize for… For having your friends arrested, bloodbending you and kidnapping you." Tarrlok cleared his throat to hide his nervous hesitation and intense regret, people never really noticed but all his vanity and arrogance were just part of a superficial layer that hid something much gentler and insecure. "I had sworn never to bloodbend another living being again but I broke that oath with you because I was scared I'd lose everything and I became desperate. My actions were inexcusable, in a way I deserved having my bending blocked… I'm sorry." He bowed his head for a moment as well.

"…You guys are such dorks." Korra rolled her eyes, waving away the matter. "Who apologizes in the middle of the night just to make someone feel better?"

"We are serious, Korra." Noatak defended though they both saw how she visibly relaxed between them.

"Whatever. It's the past, I don't care anymore." She shrugged again, attempting to act nonchalant.

"Clearly." Tarrlok retorted dryly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The Avatar snapped.

"You always say you don't care about the past but here you are dreaming about it and waking up in a panic." Noatak explained just as dryly though he neglected to point out what both brothers were really thinking- for someone who claimed to be so detached from the past she did a really bad job moving forward, her attitude towards romance and her determination in having the both of them around proved that exactly.

"Shut up, Noatak." Korra sulked a little and inched away, she always told him to shut up when she had no better reply.

"Can't deny it, can you?" The former equalist almost smirked but he wasn't trying to be cruel, he was just rattling her cage.

"I said shu-…" She started to argue angrily as she stood from the bed but Tarrlok cut her off.

"How about we go back to sleep? It's still the middle of the night after all." The ex-councilor proposed diplomatically.

Korra huffed irritably and looked at the both of them, she took a deep breath to calm herself and considered the offer for a second before saying- "You sleep, I'm going out."

"Where to?" Tarrlok asked but he could already guess.

"Anywhere." She retorted, already looking for her tunic.

"For?" Noatak added his question but his tone implied he also knew- she likely wanted to escape to some late night club or bar to distract herself from whatever had rattled her so much in her dreams and that was bad because the last thing she needed was to be hung-over at the press conference the next day.

"I just… I can't sleep anymore." She stated defensively and pouted when she failed to find any of her clothes, apparently she was so tired that she forgot that she hadn't been wearing anything other than her underwear since her bath after dinner.

"Afraid you'll dream again?" Noatak guessed knowingly and Tarrlok knew for a fact that for years now his older brother actually had the same habit of leaving the house in search of distractions when his dreams bothered him too much though his distractions were often not as harmless as the ones Korra chased after.

"Got a problem with that?" The Avatar snapped defiantly.

"Come here, Korra." Tarrlok ignored her aggressive tone and took her hand in his, tugging her back into the bed.

"Why?" She questioned but didn't actually fight him.

"Don't be stubborn." He admonished and guided her to lie with him, her head to his chest.

"What are you doing?" Korra scowled, suspicious and confused by the position that implied a different type of intimacy than she was used to.

"Holding you." Tarrlok explained and then glanced at his brother. "Get over here, Noatak."

"I don't think…" She started to argue all over again when Noatak joined them and held her from behind so she was sandwiched between them.

"Hush." Tarrlok cut her off, he couldn't remember how many times he had done so that night. "Sleep. I know you like this and if you dream one of us will notice and wake you so relax."

"What makes you so sure you'll notice?" She asked snippily to hide a nervous and hopeful tint in her voice, however what they noticed the most was how she didn't deny enjoying the situation.

"You move a lot and you talk when you dream." Noatak answered calmly in her ear.

"I do?" Korra looked a bit panicked at the information but seemed to calm down as the older brother caressed up and down her side soothingly and the younger played with her hair.

"Yes, you do." Tarrlok confirmed but his tone was final. "Now sleep. You have a big day tomorrow."

The Avatar muttered something that sounded like 'stupid brothers' but she did comply and in a matter of minutes they felt as much as saw her relax and drift off to sleep cuddled protectively between their bodies with her face nestled to Tarrlok's chest. Noatak looked deep in thought and couldn't hide the soft and slightly possessive look in his eyes as he watched the woman between them but he too soon fell asleep.

Tarrlok was exhausted but once again he stayed awake a little longer to observe them- more than ever he wanted to change things, he wanted to make this sleeping position a recurrent thing, he wanted to make sure they could have a future where Korra didn't feel the need to shield her insecurities and emotions around them, he wanted to be part of the things that made her feel safe from here on out and not just an occasional distraction or a painful memory in the past. He knew Noatak wanted the same thing, he was more sure of that than he was that the moon moved the tides but he also knew that if he wasn't the one doing something then Noatak never would, the older brother would rather run away from what he desired the most than risk losing control over the situation so Tarrlok decided then and there that he would find a way into Korra's heart and he'd shackle Noatak to the bed with her if that's what it took to keep all three of them together from then on out.


	8. Mako

Korra was beginning to wonder if she could create a trench in the smooth white stone floor in the back of City Hall with the way she kept pacing furiously back and forth.

It was just past lunch time and the press was starting to gather up front of the huge building for the conference and as usual such a thing tied her stomach in knots and soured her mood so she kept reviewing the speech and answers in the pieces of parchment she held again and again to make sure nothing would catch her off guard.

She had just been reading the same sentence three times when Korra determined that she couldn't focus on the words and it wasn't entirely the conference's fault, there were other things rattling her nerves.

She was secretly relieved that Noatak and Tarrlok would be in the crowd for encouragement but at the same time that upset her too because she couldn't stop thinking of their apologies the night before nor of the way they held her so intimately through the night. It's not like she wasn't happy to hear those pleas for forgiveness and it's certainly not like she wasn't aware that the brothers had feelings for her, after all she had been banking on those feelings as a way to ensure their loyalty but she never expected them to care her for her enough to actually apologize for the past.

She expected positive feelings, lust and loyalty but the Avatar never thought that they could actually _love_ her, if she knew that that was even remotely possible she wouldn't have let them get so close to her… No, she still didn't believe they could love her, she didn't think men like that could really love anything more than themselves and that was precisely why she was so comfortable around them but at the same time…

"Korra? Are you ready?" A familiar voice reached her ears and dragged her out of her restless pacing.

"Huh? Oh, Tenzin." Korra straightened up and took a calming breath. "Yes, I'm ready."

"Are you sure you're alright?" The airbender enquired a little worriedly. He was always worried about her for some reason or another.

"Why do you ask me that so often lately?" The Avatar tried to act nonchalant as they began to walk through the building together.

"Because I care for you, Korra. You're family to us." Tenzin stated fondly and warmly.

"…I'm fine, Tenzin." Korra nodded dismissively but smiled at his tone.

"Have they been treating you properly?" The tattooed master enquired halfway through the walk, his voice was as gentle as always but she could sense that underlining speckle of repressed anger in the words. Tenzin had never really liked Korra's decision to harbor the two old nemesis but at some point he had decided to accept her choices and hope that they wouldn't burn her.

"That's what you're worried about?" She snickered but frankly Korra was annoyed, somehow people like Tenzin, Mako and her dad also circled back to the topic of Noatak and Tarrlok whenever she spoke to them. "They cook my meals and do my laundry, they bathe Naga and wake me on time for meetings, they even helped me write this damn speech. Does it sound like they treat me badly?"

"No but considering who they are…" Tenzin began only to get cut off by the Avatar.

"Were. Who they were, Tenzin." She frowned, not quite sure why she defended the former enemies. "You can't speak of them as they are now, you haven't even tried to see them for who they became after these years."

"Be that as it may, they are still dangerous." He countered quietly.

"So am I." Korra smirked as they reached the entrance of City Hall, the buzz of many voices already filled the background.

"I'm serious, Korra." Tenzin placed a hand on her shoulder and admonished softly. "I don't trust them not to take advantage of you."

The Avatar paused to look at her master and gave him a scornful smirk, she wasn't sure whether he underestimated her selfishness or overestimated her virtue, either way she felt that his concern was completely misplaced.

"Ever consider that I might be the one taking advantage of them?" Korra enquired a tad too darkly, she was tired of people seeing her as the immaculate heroine surrounded by wolves like Tarrlok and Noatak when she herself thought she was the wolf surrounded by koala-lambs ripe for the slaughter. Her attitude took Tenzin by surprise enough that he froze on the threshold of City Hall.

"What?" The airbender asked a little stunned but she no longer listened because she was already walking to the podium under bright popping lights from camera flashes and the loud chatter of curious reporters to stand next to the President and the owners of the companies she had to work with regarding the current Spirit problem.

The Avatar stood as imposingly as always before the microphones, looking fully like the symbol of strength and power that she was even in her usual clothing and especially with her face hardened into an unyielding expression that cleared showed no acceptance for argument. After taking a slow breath she began to speak, thanking people for coming and glancing occasionally at the papers in front of her to recite her careful speech; halfway through she spotted Noatak in the back of the crowd and the Tarrlok not too far from him, they both looked impassive but nodded approvingly every so often and the former councilor kept gesturing to indicate that she should smile and give out an air of charm rather than that foreboding seriousness that she had acquired after years having to do these boring speeches.

Korra did try to smile, after all she was so playful and joyful most of the time but the public generally only got to see her surly side those days and maybe a little charm would be better than intimidation. She managed to finish speaking without a hitch and when the questions began she was shocked at how simple it was to deflect them exactly as she wanted in order to give the information she needed rather than any details that might upset people further; the brothers' advice was working and although she didn't feel comfortable dancing around the press like that it was effective and she was confident the public would side with her and that the majority would support her decisions and attempt to work with their Spirit neighbors to preserve their mutual land.

In the end it was strangely addicting to see her words actually impact people so easily, to be able to bend her lines perfectly and make people focus only on what she wanted them to hear. No wonder the brothers had enjoyed making speeches, with talent like this they were likely to enjoy it as much as Korra liked the roar of the crowd after a victorious Pro-Bending match… Suddenly she understood their ego a little better.

Once the reporters' questions started to become a little more sketchy and personal, mingled with idiotic accusations including bribery and biased decisions, the Avatar ended the press conference. She knew it had gone well and she was strangely delighted by it but as usual she was starting to get irritated from all the prying and her own lack of patience and was therefore eager to leave as soon as it was allowed which unfortunately was only after the corporate presidents had their moments to speak and while some like Asami were kind and straight to the point, others like Varrick and Gan-Lan drawled on and on and on until the Avatar got too bored to pay attention anymore and ended up leaving early with some half-baked excuse just as the last entrepreneur was beginning to talk.

"Not bad." Yet another familiar voice caught her attention as she retreated to the back of the building again, just waiting for all the press to leave so she could go as well. "You almost sounded like… Well, you know."

"Like who, Mako?" Korra turned to face her friend with her arms crossed. The firebender was likely on duty and she wasn't at all angry at his comment but she loved to provoke him.

"You know who." He looked away, brooding slightly.

"Boy, you must really hate them if you can't even say their names." She chuckled, unable to stop herself from sounding snarky.

"Why wouldn't I hate the men that threw me in prison and bloodbent me and my girlfriend." Mako scowled, he always managed to bring up those old grudges whenever he could.

"Ex-girlfriend." Korra remarked casually. "After all, I don't recall Asami getting bloodbent on any instance."

"You know what I mean." Mako shrugged.

"Yeah, I do." She nodded and then changed the subject before it got to awkward. "Shouldn't you be working?"

"Not really. It's my day off, they just asked me to lend a helping hand until the reporters are all gone, the Chief thinks some people might be after your head for this." The officer explained in all seriousness.

"Why?" The Avatar cocked a brow quizzically.

"You're making some people lose a lot of money by siding with the Spirits in this matter." He remarked in a hushed tone but raised his hands in truce before she could snap back. "I agree with you, of course, but it's dangerous to piss people off about money, Korra."

"Comes with the title." She stated dryly. "So how long until I can go home? I didn't sleep all too well, I need a nap after all this."

"Shouldn't be long but I was hoping you'd join me." Mako's tone became lighter and he smiled for the first time that day.

"Join you?" Korra was curious.

"Yeah, Asami is busy today but you're here and Spark's is nearby, we could pop in for a drink and talk a bit." The officer suggested lightly but when she seemed to hesitate he added- "Been a while since we hung out just the two of us."

Yes, it had been a while, it had been a year to be precise and while before Korra would have jumped at any opportunity to be alone with her old friend now she wasn't so comfortable with the idea though she wasn't quite sure why, something just felt off and the old spark between them that she unconsciously insisted on clinging onto under all the camaraderie and friendship just didn't seem as bright anymore.

"…Sure." She accepted more out of habit and curiosity than anything else.

Korra was aware that the brothers were likely waiting for her but she didn't think about that as she strolled down the street with Mako half an hour later and slipped into the little speakeasy that wasn't quite supposed to exist but that had become one of their celebration spots over the years.

Spark's was a dimly lit but enormous underground pub near the Water Tribe cultural center, all the walls were painted with dragon motifs and the decorated with mosaics of mirrored glass that that reflected light to create dancing flickers all over the joint just as the name implied; the owner was a retired Fire Nation army veteran who already knew Mako and Korra well enough that he merely smiled in greeting as he took their orders and watched them sit in their crew's usual table in the corner.

The radio was relaying information from Korra's press conference but with a simple wave at the bartender they called Red, the frequency was changed and a rowdy musical tune began to fill the background to drown out the clink of glasses and the soft buzz of conversation.

"I kind of missed this." Mako remarked, sipping on his clear beverage of warm rice liqueur.

"Yeah, me too." Korra relaxed and leaned back on the plush black seat of their booth, sipping on her own golden drink that was capped in frothy white foam. "So why are we here, Mako?"

"You seemed stressed out, I thought this would be a good way to loosen up." He explained with a grin.

"Right…" She countered skeptically. Korra was sure he had an ulterior motive to be there with her alone with none of their other friends.

"How have you been, Korra?" Mako asked casually between sips to his drink.

"Just fine." She replied with ease. "You and Bo?"

"Great." He smiled and continued- "Varrick has been hounding him for a new series of movers lately and he's getting all puffed up about it so he's a little hard to be around but everything is alright otherwise."

"Just wait until his girlfriend comes back from the Northern temple, he'll tone down in no time." Korra chuckled and sipped her drink, remembering just how easy it was to deflate Bolin's ego when his girl was involved.

"Good point, she did mention visiting soon." Mako nodded with a knowing grin.

"How would you know?" The Avatar eyed him questioningly.

"Heard the Chief talking about it." He remarked, twirling his glass lightly as they fell into a bit a tense silence before he decided to take advantage of the topic. "Speaking of lovers…"

"What, Mako?" She prodded when he trailed off, Korra was already sure this was going to turn into a repetition of her earlier conversation with Tenzin, she was used to it by now.

"How's things at home?" The firebender enquired.

"As dandy as always." She smirked confidently.

"Hm… I see." He glanced away with a slightly bitter expression taking over his handsome face.

"What? What's with that face?" Korra poked at his ribs to get a reaction out of him.

"Nothing." Mako shrugged dismissively without looking at her. "I'm just surprised you kept them around this long."

"Why wouldn't I? I fought hard to get them." She frowned slightly, wondering what had gotten into him. She was used to the usual criticism and skepticism but this was a new topic.

"You never keep anyone around that long, especially no longer than six months." He pointed out a bit dryly with another swig at his drink.

"We have a good arrangement going on, I don't see the need to break it." The Avatar replied, trying not to make a big deal out of the situation even though she knew he was right- she never kept anyone longer than two or three months, even her relationship with Mako has only lasted half a year in the first place.

For a moment she contemplated the past eight months with Noatak and Tarrlok and although they had caused her a lot more trouble than most lovers she still didn't feel inclined to get rid of them any time soon and that was a new feeling to her. She wondered what made them so different and what she had expected in the first place. Truthfully she hadn't considered how long she wanted them around when she first caught them, all that was on her mind then was winning them over and she didn't consider the possibility of getting tired of them eventually but so far that hadn't happened so she didn't see the point in worrying about it.

"They're using you, Korra." Mako cut into her thoughts with the bitter remark.

"And I'm using them. That's what's so comfortable about this, Mako, there's no romantic pressure in the air." Korra countered with that same dark smirk she used on Tenzin though the firebender wasn't as affected by it.

"It can't last, you know that right?" He sounded a little concerned for her sanity and she was aware that he often _was_ worried about her reasoning ever since the thing with Vaatu, apparently he believed that destroying and therefore assimilating the ancient dark Spirit had changed her somehow, a theory that she found foolish and irksome.

"And why not?" The Avatar swallowed down the last dregs on her drink and slammed the mug down on the table a tad too hard though she never broke her calm demeanor.

"Are you kidding? We're talking about Amon and Tarrlok here!" Mako shoved his own drink aside to snap at her.

"So?" She challenged.

"You can't possibly have thought that keeping them around would be a permanent thing! Sooner or later their conniving little minds will come up with some devious plan and hurt you, that or they'll run off as soon as they take all they can from you." He argued just loudly enough not to be heard by other patrons thanks to the music. "And that's IF you don't get bored and release them into the world first."

"Oh shut up, Mako." Korra admonished with a roll of her eyes. "I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."

"Can you?" The firebender asked snippily, moving closer to hiss the words at her since the barman was starting to give them odd looks.

"Yes!" She snarled and smacked the table with anger bubbling in her voice. "They're good to me, ok? Nobody believes it but they are or I wouldn't have stuck with them so long!" She didn't really know why she had the sudden need to defend her housemates but she did, she was starting to get offended on their behalf.

"Korra…" Mako's face twisted with some painful unnamed emotion but he found no other words to fight her with, he was aware that she was too stubborn to listen anyway.

It wasn't really sudden or fast but it took her by storm nonetheless. Mako leaned in slowly and she was too paralyzed by his intimate body language to move or say anything before his lips pressed to hers. The kiss started out slow and almost fearful and then morphed into something hungry and deeper in less time than it took to draw a breath so that in the blink of an eye their tongues were waltzing almost obscenely.

For years Korra thought she had missed these lips, for a long time she had been wondering what it would be like to kiss him again but now that it was actually happening it felt nothing like what she expected- it didn't feel sweet and safe like when they dated, it didn't feel dangerous, passionate and forbidden like it had a few years before when they slipped up when Asami and Mako had nearly broken apart, it didn't even feel like one of her usual one-night stands.

That kiss just didn't feel enticing or good at all in any way and in the midst of it all Korra could think of was Asami who she was betraying and… A sudden pang in her gut made her queasy, she had never felt bad about cavorting around with other men despite having Noatak and Tarrlok so why was she remembering them out of the blue and why was it making her feel sick with guilt? Was it only because it was Mako in their place?

"Mako…" She murmured between kisses that were starting to break up awkwardly and uncomfortably. "Mako, stop this!"

The Avatar pushed back her friend with far too much force, her lips were tingling and she could barely suck in a big enough breath as she scooted away from him faster than a debutante jumping away from a newt-roach. She actually placed her hand on his chest to keep him at arm's length and shook her head while she struggled to find the right words without making the most outrageous scene.

"So you'll kiss any other guy that buys you a drink but not me." Mako accused sullenly.

"It's different, you're my friend and you have Asami." Korra defended in a similar tone. "You don't even love me, Mako, so why are you doing this?!"

"I… I don't know." He faltered and his angry scowled faded with a sigh that made his shoulders slump. "I guess seeing you keep them around for so long just messed with my head."

"You got jealous?" She blurted out incredulously. It was true that the brothers had surpassed Mako's record with her but he had no reason to be envious at all, not when he had what he had with Asami.

"No." The firebender countered at once without looking her in the eye.

"You did." Korra saw right through him and it upset her, she didn't want romantic feelings to ruin yet another relationship she cherish so much.

"No, I just need to settle my feelings before…" Mako trailed off and took a deep soothing breath.

"Before what?" The Avatar tilted her head, curious by his now nervous but more neutral tone.

"I'm considering proposing to Asami." He admitted in a small voice, apparently getting ready to recoil for her reaction.

"Oh." Korra mouthed the sound in sudden realization, unsure as to how she really felt about this. "Well… Um… That's great." She wanted to ask him why the hell he was going around kissing her when he wanted to marry Asami but she felt too numb to do much more than stumble on automatic congratulations. "Don't forget my wedding invitation."

"What if she says no?" Mako sounded even more nervous and jittery all of a sudden.

"We both know that's not happening." This time Korra actually smiled, she didn't feel like smiling for herself but she did because she couldn't help but envision Asami's joy in face of the proposal.

"What if it did?" The firebender insisted, finally looking the Avatar in the eye in all seriousness.

"…What do you want me to say, Mako?" She sighed.

Korra suspected Mako was asking what _she_ would do if the heiress spurned him… A year before she would likely have considered seducing him in such a situation if not for his heart than to toy with him as she felt he had once toyed with her but now it wasn't so simple, now she didn't feel like she could be that petty nor did she have any lingering desire to make Mako hers and if Asami shunned him Korra would likely feel sorry for both of her friends.

"I just thought… I don't know, that you'd have more to say about this." Mako muttered with half a shrug.

"Like what?" Admittedly, Korra knew how screwed up their friendship was but she had no idea how he expected her to react. Did he think she'd be jealous? Or maybe sad? Because she was neither, she wasn't certain what she felt but it wasn't anything that negative.

Why didn't she have more to say about this proposal though? She had been dreading the day these two became engaged, for a long time she had been preparing for the jealousy and regret to flood her at such an information, she had been so sure that this would hurt her but instead she felt… Nothing. She was happy for her two friends but on a personal level she felt none of the things she thought she would, not even a tiny bit of sadness or a little bit of desire to be in Asami's shoes and the lack of any such feelings disturbed her almost as much as the idea of herself as a bride often did.

"…Nothing." Mako dismissed the matter a little uncomfortably.

"K…" Korra watched him gulp down the rest of his drink in a hurry, once again avoiding her eyes. She had to say something, she just couldn't let them part with this horrible tension between them. "Mako, things have been over and resolved between us for a long time but I know I often send the wrong signals and feed that leftover spark we had. I know it's wrong but I can't help it, it's just how I am. Yet that doesn't mean I love you that way anymore… You're a brother to me, not a lover, and all I want now is to see you and Asami happy."

The firebender shifted in his seat and faced her, his expression was a cross between confusion, acceptance, relief and loss and she couldn't tell which emotion was the truest. After a moment letting her words sink in he finally seemed to relax and nodded quietly.

"I know, I feel the same way. I'm sorry I kissed you, I just need to be sure there was nothing here anymore." Mako apologized and waved at the space between them for emphasis. "It wouldn't be fair to Asami otherwise."

"I understand. It never happened, ok?" Korra smiled lightly as a way to reassure him that her lips were sealed.

"Thanks." He seemed instantly relieved but something was still bugging the firebender and she was just waiting for that shoe to drop. "Korra…"

"Hm?" She traced the rim of her mug as she wondered what else was bothering him.

"Are you sure you're happy living like this? With them?" Mako grimaced, he clearly didn't like talking about Korra's housemates at all.

"Yeah, for now." The Avatar assured with ease even though she had been thinking about the matter all day. When it seemed Mako had nothing more to say and was just itching to voice his disapproval against her choice of bedroom companions and barely holding back out of respect, Korra decided to spare him the effort and got up, stretching lazily and casually. "I should probably go."

"You don't have to." He stated at once, looking a little anxious- maybe he thought she was angry again?

"I should, they're probably wondering where I am." Not worried though, she doubted they worried but it was true that they were likely looking for her.

"Alright. See you soon?" Mako sounded hopeful.

"Sure." The Avatar smiled reassuringly once more and pat her friend's shoulder. "Good luck with the proposal."

"Thanks." The firebender smiled back without leaving his seat, apparently he planned to stay a little longer, likely to steady his nerves and wipe the whole kiss episode from his brain.

"And Mako?" Korra paused just as she was leaving and glanced back at him.

"Yes?" He looked at her curiously.

"If you hurt her I'll break your kneecaps." She promised seriously but good naturedly.

"Not if she breaks them first." Mako retorted with a calm nod.

With a last grin at those words they said their goodbyes, Korra paid the tab and left the speakeasy feeling a lot lighter and more at ease on some aspects but incredibly more confused in others. She had no idea how she had managed to solve years of unresolved feelings for Mako in just one afternoon without one of them breaking into tears but she had and it had been easier than she ever expected but on the other hand she couldn't get Noatak and Tarrlok off her mind.

Mako was right- she had never kept someone around for so long and she had been shocked by how easy and honestly her words slipped out when she told him she was happy living with them. And yet… It wasn't entirely true, was it? She liked living with the two men and didn't care that she was using them to her own gain because she doubted they had hearts to bruise in the romantic sense but the more she thought about it the more she was ticked off, something about their arrangement just didn't feel right anymore and it wasn't because she was tired of them, in fact it was the exact opposite.

She was so lost in her own thoughts that she nearly bypassed Naga altogether. The furry beast had to bark to get her attention, causing her to take two steps back and greet her best friend with a fuzzy hug before they headed home at her usual trotting pace and by the time they got there she was almost certain she would find Noatak and Tarrlok doing their usual things- the older brother would likely be reading one of her books or listening to the news while the younger brother did some sort of experiment in the kitchen or read the newspaper or some fancy catalogue.

The Avatar was surprised to actually catch both men arriving home more or less at the same time as her while bickering between themselves in a hushed but rather angry manner that they hid immediately as soon as they spotted her. Korra thought she saw relief in their faces when she called out to them but she was sure she had to be wrong.

~~~~~~.:oOo:.~~~~~~

_(Author's Note: And I finally update something. Amorra AU Week ate up a lot of my time but my updates have been slow because I hit a bit of slump- between family illnesses, being sick myself, having to help my sick parents with their work and having to do my own work and handle certain personal issues I ended up not having the energy or inspiration/motivation to do much personal writing. I'm sorry about that, I really hope and I can recover my pace soon._

_At the request of some readers I am reconsidering this story's length because the plot has more potential than I initially assumed, it still won't be as deep as "Castaway" and likely no more than a tenth of it but I'll be exploring this kinky/romantic/dramatic tale for a little longer than I first planned out.)_


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